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
Palestinian disengagement plan from Israel leans on Egypt A Palestinian ministerial delegation headed to Egypt to discuss ways to boost relations in economy and trade, as part of the Palestinian government’s efforts to break economic ties with Israel. Palestine
Decision to ban e-cigarettes in Gaza sparks mockery on social media The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip issued a decision to ban e-cigarettes, claiming that they are bad for citizens' health, which sparked angry reactions. Palestine
A look at what’s going on in eastern Syria Tens of thousands in Hasakah province are already displaced by Erdogan’s freshly launched Operation Spring of Peace. Syria
Can Egypt sweeten deal for small beekeepers? Egypt organizes its first beekeepers festival, but small producers wonder whether their presence will make a buzz. Egypt
Israel releases Hamas senior, could mean deal en route The release of Hamas official Muhammad Abu Tir and the ensuing calm could signal that Israel and Hamas are creeping toward an arrangement. Palestine
Is Erdogan resettlement plan for Syrian refugees really viable? The Turkish president's proposal to build refugee settlements in the safe zone has already revitalized the Turkish construction industry. Neither refugees nor the Kurds are pleased, and the international community has lashed out at the plan. Syria
Death toll climbs in second day of Turkish offensive Both Turkish and Syrian civilians were reported killed as Turkey pressed a cross-border assault on a Kurdish militia and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan struck a defiant tone in the face of international criticism. Syria
Netanyahu, not Israel, needs unity government to survive Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is misleading the people when he claims that only a unity government would be apt to tackle the Iran threat. Palestine
What sort of game is Avigdor Liberman playing? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is very worried that Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman will agree to cooperate with the Joint List in an effort to bring him down, thereby allowing Benny Gantz to form a minority government. Israel
US policy changes leave Israel alone against Iran Israel is suddenly facing a new reality in which the Iranians are free to attack Saudi infrastructure and the Turks attack Kurds in Syria. Israel
Going it alone: Saudi Arabia’s economic realities after oil attacks The energy sector is Saudi Arabia's lifeline, but it is more often a honey pot of domestic spending than a resource for future development. Saudi Arabia
How will US troop withdrawal from northern Syria affect Iraq? The US troop withdrawal from northeastern Syria could lead to catastrophic consequences for Syrian Kurds while strengthening the Islamic State and destabilizing Iraq. Iraq
