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
China loses bid to build $1.5 billion desalination plant in Israel Under pressure from the US administration, Israel has chosen a local company over a Chinese one to construct and operate its massive new sewage water desalination plant. Israel
Kirkuk tribesmen rally as IS launch new wave of attacks As Islamic State sleeper cells continue to carry out attacks south and west of oil-rich Kirkuk, local tribesmen made efforts to show unity while other factions showed off "resistance" to the United States and Israel. Iraq
Benny Gantz trapped over Netanyahu’s trial Defense Minister Benny Gantz and his Blue and White party did not realize in time that the trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would also hurt them. Israel
Three villages north of Cairo emerge from lockdown Egyptian authorities isolated three villages to contain the spread of the coronavirus, as hospitals outside the capital struggle to keep up with the increasing number of infections. Egypt
Hezbollah agrees to IMF help, under conditions Lebanon’s powerful Shiite group Hezbollah has agreed to the International Monetary Fund potentially stepping in to help the country deal with its worst economic crisis in decades. Lebanon
Cairo cracks down on social media influencers Internet personalities in Egypt, especially women, are the target of a government campaign against debauchery and other charges that rights activists say violate free speech. Egypt
Hundreds of children abused during lockdown in West Bank The Palestinian Ministry of Social Development said it has provided counseling and psychological services in more than 600 cases of child abuse in the West Bank during the coronavirus lockdown. Palestine
IDF not in hurry to integrate women in elite combat units Young Israeli women have petitioned the Supreme Court demanding to be tried-outed for joining elite combat units. Israel
Turkey’s seasonal workers caught between virus, poverty Impoverished seasonal agricultural workers in Turkey are riding out the pandemic in squalid tent encampments to earn their living, providing a labor force crucial to the agricultural sector. Turkey
Israeli-Arabs adapt Eid al-Fitr celebrations to new coronavirus reality Israeli-Arabs are adapting to the new coronavirus reality, where mosques are open but restrictions remain in place. Israel
Egypt announces international anti-Turkey alliance Egypt announced an international alliance that includes Greece, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates and France to confront Turkish provocative moves in Libya and the Mediterranean. United Arab Emirates
Lebanon’s economic crisis is decimating its middle class The middle class in cash-strapped Lebanon is having a hard time making ends meet as salaries have been slashed and banks are imposing informal capital control, all compounded by the coronavirus-induced lockdown measures. Lebanon
