Originals - AL-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Originals

Palestinian supporters of the Hamas movement wave flags as they rally against Israel's plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza Strip, on June 19, 2020. - Israel intends to annex West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley, as proposed by US President Donald Trump, with initial steps slated to begin from July 1. (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS / AFP) (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images)

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!

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.

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.

A worker unloads a refrigerated truck carrying the first delivery of coronavirus vaccine via the United Nations Covax programme supporting poorer areas, to be kept at Palestinian Authority's storage facility in the West Bank city of Nablus, on March 17, 2021. - The Palestinian Authority said that vaccination would begin at the end of this week, primarily for those aged over 75, cancer patients and medical personnel.
Earlier, some 60,000 doses of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines allocated to the Palestinians

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.

Latest News

Tunisian president meets new Libyan unity government

Iran operating new advanced centrifuges, nuclear watchdog finds

A cameraman arrives at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),prior to a press conference at the agency's headquarters in Vienna on March 4, 2021. - European nations will not go ahead with a planned resolution criticising Iran at this week's meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog, diplomatic sources said on March 4, 2021. (Photo by ALEX HALADA / AFP) (Photo by ALEX HALADA/AFP via Getty Images)

Lawsuit filed to close pro-Kurdish party after lawmaker stripped of parliamentary seat

Turkish member of Parliament for the left wing political party Peoples' Democratic Party Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu (C) reacts as he is surrounded by MPs applauding and brandishing placards after he was dismissed following a vote at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, on March 17, 2021. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Israeli and Emirati rugby teams to play each other for first time

United Arab Emirates

A general view of the Blue Nile river as it passes through the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), near Guba in Ethiopia, on December 26, 2019. - The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, a 145-metre-high, 1.8-kilometre-long concrete colossus is set to become the largest hydropower plant in Africa.
Across Ethiopia, poor farmers and rich businessmen alike eagerly await the more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity officials say it will ultimately provide.
Yet as thousands of workers toil day and night to fin

Egypt backs Sudan against Ethiopia amid Nile dam impasse

Egypt reiterated its support for Sudan following an attack by Ethiopian forces on Sudanese military troops near the border, at a time of deadlock between the three countries over the controversial dam Addis Ababa is building on the Blue Nile.

People watch as workers uncover the ruins of a recently discovered Roman archaeological site in the Jordanian capital Amman, on December 14, 2020. - According to local media, the archaeological site was uncovered during works to install a water drainage system. (Photo by Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP) (Photo by KHALIL MAZRAAWI/afp/AFP via Getty Images)

Roman baths discovered during city works in Jordanian capital

The haphazard discovery of Roman ruins in Amman sparked questions about the fate of antiquities in the city’s downtown area amid calls for expanding the excavations.

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - MAY 24: Israelis hold flags and signs as they protest against Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu on May 24, 2020 in Jerusalem, Israel. The prime minister, who strongly denies the charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, was recently sworn in to office at the head of a national unity government formed with his opponent Benny Gantz. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)

Netanyahu’s survival plan: visiting Morocco and COVID-19 vaccination drive

Ahead of possible fourth elections: The political assault of Likud-rebel Gideon Saar and his success in the polls have taken Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by surprise.

A general view shows the US embassy across the Tigris river in Iraq's capital Baghdad on January 3, 2020. - The US embassy in Baghdad urged American citizens in Iraq to "depart immediately", for fear of fallout from a US strike that killed top Iranian and Iraqi commanders. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP) / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [2020] instead of [2019]. Please immediately remove the erron

Iraqi government arrests suspects after rockets aimed at US Embassy

As the one-year anniversary of the killing of Iranian general Qasem Solaimani approaches, several rockets have again been shot at the US Embassy in Baghdad; suspects have been arrested.

This photograph taken on December 17, 2020 shows shows a physical imitation of a Bitcoin at a crypto currency "Bitcoin Change" shop, near Grand Bazaar, in Istanbul. - Leading virtual currency bitcoin on 16 December traded above $20,000 for the first time following a sustained run higher in recent weeks. Bitcoin reached a record-high $20,398.50 before pulling back to $20,145, which was still an intra-day gain of nearly four percent. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP) (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Egypt offers fertile environment for fintech industry

As Egyptians do more online, the government is seeking to harness the fintech industry for solutions to the challenges in the Egyptian economy.

UAE steps up medical aid to Gaza

The UAE and Qatar are neck and neck in the Gaza Strip, with both parties pumping money and aid into the besieged enclave that is struggling under tough economic, humanitarian and health conditions made worse by the coronavirus.

Video of fox hunt disturbs Egyptian animal lovers

When an Egyptian TV show sent its host out on a fox hunt, the graphic footage spurred viewers to action.

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Woman sets self on fire after city demolishes shelter, Iranians outraged

The demolition of a single mother’s shanty at the hands of Iranian authorities and her despairing self-immolation have recharged an uproar over the Islamic Republic failing the needy citizens it once promised to raise from poverty.

Motorists plough their vehicles through flooded streets after a winter storm hit the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv, on January 25, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / - / Israel OUT (Photo credit should read -/AFP via Getty Images)

Netanyahu sets new climate, renewable energy targets for Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sets new, high targets for Israel on battling climate change; but can Israel really achieve these targets?

Can the US force Iran out of Syria? Not likely, former officials say

The outgoing Trump administration appears to have made little if any progress in achieving its goal.

Lebanon passes law criminalizing sexual harassment

Lebanese lawmakers broadened what constitutes domestic violence but did not specifically outlaw marital rape.

Germany and Finland repatriate children from Syria's al-Hol camp

There have been several repatriations of people from the camp for Islamic State families this year.