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
Why does Israel sabotage relations with Jordan? The Israeli government’s irresponsible behavior involving the Bab al-Rahma issue and other matters threatens ties with Jordan and squanders the possibility of working constructively with King Abdullah II. Palestine
Tehran cop standing up to celeb raises debate on privilege, rule of law A controversial incident involving a former Iranian soccer player who refused to abide by traffic laws has ignited furious reactions in Iran against celebrities expecting special favors. Iran
Turkey disgruntled by US support for Greece, Cyprus, Israel summit Ankara believes gathering in Jerusalem aims to block Turkish access to energy resources in eastern Mediterranean. Israel
Ferry disaster reveals challenges for Iraq in Mosul As the death toll of the sunken ferry hits 120, protests against corruption might lead to a backlash in Mosul, and the Iraqi parliament has voted to dismiss Ninevah province's governor. Iraq
US, announcing new sanctions, says it hopes Iran comes 'back to negotiating table' New sanctions on Iranians who have engaged in sensitive defense research are intended to make those individuals “radioactive,” according to a senior US administration official. United States
Algerians keep up mass protests for fifth consecutive week Over the past week, many within the Algerian government have switched over to the side the protesters, but it's unclear how welcome they will be this late in the game. Algeria
How US, Iranian regional security strategies diverge The Iranian and US models to promote regional security differs because the former emphasizes engagement with nations to raise popular forces while the latter solely relies on states. United States
Hamas turns violent on peaceful protesters in Gaza Rights organizations and activists in the Gaza Strip called on Hamas to stop its violent repression of peaceful demonstrations that erupted there against deteriorating living conditions. Palestine
SDF commander lays out conditions for reconciliation with Damascus In an exclusive interview, Mazlum Kobane warns of a “second great war” if Turkey intervenes militarily; State Department officials explain consequences of "undisciplined armed groups" in Iraq. Syria
Is the PKK lying low as elections approach in Turkey? Turkish officials credit ramped up security operations for a noticeable decline in activity by the Kurdistan Workers Party, but some suspect the organization is intentionally maintaining a low-profile in the lead up to local elections. Iraq
Ban on Hamas’ student bloc stirs angry reactions Fatah's student party, Shabiba, at An-Najah National University in Nablus announced banning the Islamic Bloc, Hamas' student wing, and closing its headquarters, which stirred fears of the Gaza tension spilling into the West Bank. Palestine
Pompeo in Jerusalem, bearing gifts for Netanyahu With Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the scheduled meeting in Washington with President Donald Trump, it seems the administration is doing all it can to support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the elections. Israel
