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
Iraqi Kurdistan Cabinet finally sees daylight after 9 months The new prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government has a Cabinet now, with all but one ministerial position filled. Iraq
Is Iran’s influence in Iraq waning? Iran is formalizing its relationship with Baghdad as a strategic step in lessening the negative economic effects of US sanctions, but the pro-Iran PMU integrating into Iraqi armed forces leave some Iraqi leaders uneasy. Iraq
Is Netanyahu concerned about anti-Semitic rulers? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu befriends far-right leaders, such as Hungary’s Victor Orban, and keeps silent when his close ally, President Donald Trump, invites to the White House an anti-Semitic cartoonist. Israel
Will Trump follow suit if Israel attacks Iran? Ahead of the 2020 US presidential elections, President Donald Trump might decide to back Israel militarily, if it decides to attack Iran. Israel
Turkey's favorite TV cop returns, but not to Turkish channels The renegade Behzat C was Turkey's favorite cop for half a decade. Now he's back, just not on Turkish TV. Turkey
Former economy czar’s resignation from Turkey’s ruling AKP sparks talk of rival party Ali Babacan resigned from Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party, unleashing a fresh wave of speculation that he might form a rival center-right party. Turkey
Iran's hard-liners urge retaliation against UK seizure of supertanker After the seizure of a Syria-bound Iranian oil tanker by British Royal Marines off the coast of Gibraltar, Iran's hard-liners are pressing the Rouhani government to drop diplomatic efforts and instead "respond in kind" by holding UK vessels in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Syria
Why Hamas changes strategy, privileges arrangement with Israel Hamas is not interested in a war with Israel, despite the attack tunnel recently discovered by the Israel Defense Forces. Palestine
Unification of Arab parties bad news for Netanyahu The Israeli-Arab public is tired of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign against them, tired of Israeli politics and tired of unfulfilled promises. Israel
China deepens ties with UAE with industrial investment Deals worth billions of dollars between China and the United Arab Emirates reflect China's major status as a partner in the Middle East. United Arab Emirates
Iran grants additional visas to Iraqis to boost its economy In order to overcome US sanctions and boost its economy, Iran is increasing tourist visas to Iraqis. Iraq
Palestinians rally in response to Kuwaiti support Kuwait adopted an unparalleled pro-Palestinian stance by boycotting the US economic workshop in Manama and rejecting the economic plan preceding the introductions of the "deal of the century"; Kuwait's actions were hailed by Palestinians at both the official and popular levels. Bahrain
