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
Militias abduct Iraqi activists in attempt to stifle protests Hundreds of Iraqi activists have been abducted by unidentified forces trying to put an end to the ongoing protests. Iraq
Birzeit bans ‘military’ events, sparking student protests Birzeit University students are challenging the school's administration over what it says is the "militarization" of their activities on campus. Palestine
Israel mum on permission for Palestinian vote, Hamas edgy As the Palestinian Authority awaits Israel's decision on holding elections in Jerusalem, Hamas is demanding action with or without Israel's permission. Palestine
Jordanians pressure government to end imprisonment of debtors Thousands of Jordanians have either fled their country or are lingering in jail for failing to pay their debts, an act that is punishable by law in Jordan, though lawmakers are trying to make some changes. Jordan
Judges to run Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission The Iraqi parliament voted on a new electoral commission that will consist of independent judges. Iraq
Intel: How Russia and Turkey are eyeing new deals on Idlib and Libya A high-level Turkish delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal visited Moscow today for talks over key issues that have come to dominate bilateral relations in recent weeks. Syria
Rouhani claims US sanctions will pass Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told Japanese and Indian officials he believes that the United States will soon have no choice but to end its pressure campaign against Iran. United States
Israel’s national-religious party allies with racist right By entering the next election in a joint list with the students of Rabbi Meir Kahane, chairman of HaBayit HaYehudi Rabbi Rafi Peretz has betrayed the Jewish people and turning his party into a home of racism. Israel
Netanyahu still king of Likud Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s victory in the Likud primaries shows that Likud seniors will not abandon the ship captained by their indicted leader. Israel
Netanyahu’s election strategy: Play the victim, or hero? Associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believe that his campaign of being a victim of police and media persecution has run its course and that he should focus on presenting his achievements as an international leader. Israel
Intel: How the death of its army chief opens new era in Algeria’s politics Algeria’s longtime army chief died of a heart attack Dec. 23, further upending a sclerotic political system already reeling from the departure of its longtime strongman president in April. Algeria
Facing new refugee wave from Syria, Ankara sends delegation to Moscow As a new offensive by the Syrian regime sends 120,000 Idlib residents fleeing toward the Turkish border, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his nation "will not carry such a migrant burden on its own." Syria
