The Takeaway: Would Hamas complicate US plans for reset with Palestinians? Also: the back story on the spat between Israel and Jordan; Gulf post-COVID economic trends; Turkey’s Kurds; Egypt and Somalia; and more! Originals
Egypt sentences activist Sanaa Seif to 18 months in prison Seif, who had been in pretrial detention since June, was convicted Wednesday of spreading false news and misusing social media. Egypt
Ukraine rejects Iran's final report on downed passenger plane The Iranian government said last year's shooting down of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was the result of a human error. Iran
Palestinians receive first batch of vaccines through COVAX More than 60,000 doses of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines arrived in Ramallah on Wednesday. Palestine
Iran faces new threat as Kurdish jihadis join IS in Afghanistan The rise of the Islamic State's branch in Afghanistan poses a new challenge for the Islamic Republic, as it is becoming a magnet for Iranian Kurdish recruits. Iraqi-Kurdistan
Palestinians consider multistep plan toward two-state solution A proposal being discussed involves establishing Palestinian rule in Gaza and Jericho first, while negotiating the final parameters for a full Palestinian state. Palestine
Will Libya’s newly signed border security agreement change anything? Libya, Sudan, Chad and Niger signed a security protocol to fight cross-border criminal activities in the Sahel region. Libya
Why Israel refuses to complete West Bank security fence Israeli settlers and right-wing political parties fear that the West Bank security fence will serve as a proposed border line in future negotiations with the Palestinians. Palestine
Are Palestinian armed factions forming joint army? Hamas and the Islamic Jihad’s military wing have claimed responsibility for the recent rockets fired into Israel, raising talk about the potential that factions may form a joint armed operations room. Palestine
Jordan protests thrill, unnerve Palestinians The successful protests against an income tax hike in Jordan are a source of both inspiration and worry for Palestinians, who depend on the stability of their friend and neighbor. Palestine
Israeli soccer fans divided over who's to blame for canceled match Israelis blame anyone they can for the cancellation of Argentina’s national soccer team and its star Lionel Messi’s visit to Israel: the Palestinians, BDS, Minister of Sports Miri Regev. Palestine
Gaza crisis threatens to set West Bank ablaze While the demonstrations along the Gaza border fence continue, the number of casualties will grow, sparking ever larger protests in the West Bank. Palestine
Medical shortages threaten lives of Gaza’s wounded With shortages of medication, supplies and beds, hospitals in the Gaza Strip are unable to provide those wounded in the Great Return March protests with necessary treatment. Palestine
Egypt expands law granting domestic products preference Egypt’s parliament has approved amendments to a law that gives preference to domestic products instead of imported ones in government contracts, drawing mixed reactions from local experts. Egypt
Israel to withhold PA tax funds to compensate victims of kite attacks Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to deduct money from Palestinian tax revenues to compensate the Israeli victims of kite-borne arson along the Gaza border. Palestine
Congress seeks to insulate Oman from Yemen instability As the 3-year-old proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran continues to destabilize Yemen, Congress seeks to shore up security in neighboring Oman. Saudi Arabia
