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
Israel showcases alignment with Greece, Cyprus Israeli, Greek and Cypriot foreign ministers met today in Athens, showcasing again the strong strategic alignment between the three countries. Israel
Sunni agreement to expel Popular Mobilization Units from liberated Iraqi cities Sunni political parties are using murders in Salahuddin province to demand an end to the presence of armed militias blamed for killings. Iraq
Israel-Emirates peace: An inside look Crisscrossing Dubai, journalist Ben Caspit says that his four-day visit to the emirate this week reveals the intense potential that lies in the recent outing of Israel’s covert relations with the United Arab Emirates. United Arab Emirates
Syrian opposition fears being left behind again after US election Many leaders of the Syrian opposition prefer Donald Trump, who used military force twice against the Syrian government, over Joe Biden, who served in an administration they believe turned a blind eye to the Iranian presence in Syria and allowed the regime to use chemical weapons. Syria
Yazidis react to Sinjar accord amid growing KRG-PKK tensions in Iraq A security agreement reached earlier this month between the Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan Region on the disputed territory of Sinjar has sparked both praise and criticism as tensions rise between the KRG and the PKK. Iraq
Ghana signs joint airline deal with Egypt, bypassing Ethiopia EgyptAir has signed an agreement with Ghana to create a national airline after a similar deal with Ethiopian Airlines fell through. Egypt
Palestinian president stacks Jerusalem branch with loyalists The selection of members loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the Fatah movement’s Jerusalem branch raised the ire of other Fatah leaders who called to review the selection process. Palestine
Israel to start human trials of coronavirus vaccine next week The first phase of the trial will test 80 volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55. Israel
Boycotts of French goods launched in Kuwait, Qatar over prophet cartoons Following controversial comments made by France's president, calls are growing in Muslim countries for boycotts of French goods. Kuwait
Guatemala designates Hezbollah a terrorist organization The United States praised the Latin American country's decision as it tries to get more states to designate the Iran-backed Lebanese group terrorists. Lebanon
Intel: Sudan's Ministerial Council weighs in on Israel normalization Sudan's leaders anticipate economic benefits from the agreement, which is opposed by opposition parties. Israel
Erdogan distracts from plummeting lira with call to boycott France Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused France’s Emmanuel Macron of pandering to anti-Muslim "fascists" in a desperate bid to bolster his electoral fortunes ahead of presidential elections in 2022, yet many would agree that Erdogan’s anti-Western tirades are designed to divert attention from his country’s mounting economic woes. Turkey
