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
Shadow war: Egypt and Iran battle for influence in Gaza It looks like Khamenei and Hamas leaders agree on everything ... but is the reality more or less than meets the eye? Iran gains traction even with the PA; Egypt looks to take the diplomatic lead; closing the Iranian margins. Legacy: Gulf
Iraqi spy chief discusses IS and intel cooperation Al-Monitor was granted an exclusive interview with the head of Iraq’s secretive counterterrorism intelligence unit, Abu Ali al-Basri. The Falcon Intelligence Cell director discussed what remains of the Islamic State, potential future risks and how the unit shares information with other countries. Iraq
Can Netanyahu split Blue and White? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might attempt to encourage seven Knesset members from Blue and White to quit their party and join forces with him to secure a majority coalition. Israel
Hamas says it does not oppose a state along the 1967 borders Hamas politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh said Hamas does not oppose the creation of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders in a gradual manner, but insisted on not recognizing Israel. Palestine
How to read Hamas’ visit to Iran Hamas leaders seem pleased with the outcomes of a senior delegation's historic visit to Iran, though details are still scanty. Palestine
Why US companies seek role in Egyptian oil sector The Egyptian oil and natural gas market is witnessing a significant expansion of US companies and although some observers are concerned about this expansion, most agree that this reflects the stability and neutrality of the Egyptian market and is in its favor in the near and long terms. Qatar
Berber language heard but not seen in Siwa Oasis The Siwi language, used by Berbers in the Siwa Oasis, is considered endangered by UNESCO, but political obstacles prevent efforts to document and promote it. Egypt
Has Egypt failed to secure Sinai? Successive terrorist operations in just 24 hours clearly reveal the plan of terrorist groups to intensify terrorist attacks in the northern Sinai Peninsula. Egypt
Kurdish cities in Syria witness bloody week The Kurdish region in northern Syria has witnessed several explosions in the past month, with one of them targeting a church. Syria
Israeli Labor challenged on left by new party Before he sets off to convince Likud voters to join his Labor-Gesher coalition, leader Amir Peretz will have to keep his own voters from turning to a brand-new leftist group. Israel
UK, Iran treading troubled waters after seizing tankers The British navy is now escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz for safety reasons, as it remains to be seen if Iran and the United Kingdom can settle their maritime dispute. United States
Congress struggles to sanction Saudis for Khashoggi murder Faced with opposition from the White House and Senate Republican leadership, Congress is struggling to pass Saudi sanctions legislation. Saudi Arabia
