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
New electoral law raises controversy in Iraq Some Iraqi political parties are complaining that the new elections law passed by the parliament is unfair and unworkable without a census; protesters — who essentially caused legislators to pass the law — also are dissatisfied. Iraq
Pro-Iranian militias behind US Embassy attack in Baghdad The attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad by Iran-backed militias has escalated the tension between Iran and the United States. Iraq
Iran's Rouhani under fire over 'peace time' promises Iran's hard-liners have opened a new front line against President Hassan Rouhani after he tried to justify the failure of campaign pledges he made before the current "war time." United States
Netanyahu boasts about Israel’s situation, ignores security negligence Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasts about Israel’s excellent economic and security situation, but the truth is that its urban spaces are exposed to attacks from the outside. Palestine
Censorship highlights role of alternative media outlets in Lebanese revolution Twitter has blocked the accounts of several Lebanese activists supporting the popular movement in what some believe is part of a systematic campaign against it. Lebanon
Hebron tribes oppose UN pact, 'suspicious' feminists Tribes in Hebron rejected the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and some threatened to shut down feminist organizations after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas set the minimum age for marriage at 18. Palestine
Hamas bets on Palestinians abroad to influence PNC elections Hamas has recently stepped up its visits to Palestinian camps abroad, raising questions about the purpose of these visits in light of preparations for Palestinian general elections. Palestine
How Ramallah is resolving electricity crisis The Ramallah-based government pledged to pay the Jerusalem District Electricity Company the monthly electricity bills on behalf of the refugees in 13 camps, in addition to their accumulated debt, in a step that would end the company's debt and increase hours of supply. Palestine
Turkish offensive in northeast Syria uproots farmers, families Farmers in northeast Syria are concerned about making ends meet — or even having a place to live — after the Turkish offensive led to the looting of their lands and destruction of their crops. Syria
Here are Hamas’ five strategic goals for 2020 Sami Khater, a member of the Hamas political bureau, revealed Dec. 24 his movement’s five strategic goals for 2020. Palestine
US position in Iraq in jeopardy after strikes American strikes inside Iraq after the Pentagon alleged an Iran-backed group attacked US forces there have caused more political turmoil for some 5,000 US troops sent to the country to fight the Islamic State. Iraq
