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
Israelis crazy for mass singings The Koolulam mass singing phenomenon has swept up thousands of Israelis in an effort to bring harmony to a divided society. Israel
Gaza’s Justice Ministry has a new delivery service For the first time, judicial notification and papers in Gaza will be delivered by a private company. Palestine
Egypt's iron tariffs threaten some of its own companies The Egyptian government’s new temporary import fees have sparked controversy among Egypt’s steel rerolling factories, which rely on imported iron billet to produce rebar. Egypt
From Palestine with love: Designer explores postcard power A young Palestinian graphic designer combines old photos with modern designs to show a different side of her country. Palestine
Can Palestinians free themselves of the shekel? The new government of Prime Minister Mohammed al-Shtayyeh would like to drop the shekel, which is not an easy proposition given the many ways the Israeli currency enters the Palestinian economy. Palestine
Syria opposition receives military training from Turkey ahead of potential battle against SDF Free Syrian Army factions in northern Syria are receiving military training under Turkish army supervision in preparation for an imminent battle against the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces. Syria
Egyptian regime suppresses campaigns opposing constitutional changes Despite opposition campaigns, Egyptians overwhelmingly voted in favor of constitutional amendments that could stretch President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s stay in office until 2030. Egypt
Bookworms entice Jordanians to read by handing out sweets Despite campaigns to popularize reading by locals and UNESCO, the high price of books puts them out of many Jordanians' reach. Jordan
US offers cautious response to Zarif call for prisoner swap The State Department's measured response to Iran's call for a prisoner swap is a departure from its "maximum pressure" campaign against the country. United States
Will Netanyahu re-create Arab Affairs Ministry? Consideration linked to coalition talks and to the importance of the Arab constituency might persuade Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to re-create the Ministry for Minorities Affairs. Israel
Qatar’s first elections since 2017 reveal unexpected impact of GCC crisis Turnout in the Qatari municipal elections has declined, suggesting a Qatari citizenry that is slightly less engaged in the formal political process in the wake of the GCC crisis. Saudi Arabia
Turkey continues to freeze Kurds out of Syria peace talks Syria peace talks continue in the Kazakh capital, with regional heavyweights battling it out over who will have a spot at the negotiating table. Syria
