RAMALLAH, May 10, 2017 (WAFA) – The worsening health condition of hunger-striking Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s visit to Ramallah hit the front page headlines in the local Palestinian dailies on Wednesday.
Al-Quds said as Palestinian prisoners entered their 24th day of hunger strike, their situation has garnered wider Arab and international support.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said Israel Prisons Service (IPS) has escalated its repressive measures against hunger strikers in order to discourage them from continuing their strike.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida explained a number of hunger strikers started to vomit blood and IPS broke into section of the Naqab desert prison using police dogs.
It also reported chairman of the Detainees Commission Issa Qaraqe pledging the committee would prosecute any doctor who force-feeds the strikers.
President Mahmoud Abbas’ meeting with his German counterpart also dominated the front page headlines in the dailies.
Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Abbas reiterating his commitment to peace based on justice and international resolutions.
He was also reported in al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida addressing the issue of some 1,600 Palestinians currently on hunger strike in Israeli prisons, stating “all their demands are humane” and calling upon the Israeli government to comply with their demands.
The three dailies reported Israelis spray-painted racist graffiti on walls and vandalized several Palestinian vehicles, slashing their tires in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Shufat.
Al-Ayyam said Israeli forces demolished residential structures and animal barns in the village of Jiftlik in the Jordan Valley.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said Israeli military prosecution prevented investigation into shootings at Palestinians.
Highlighting Abbas’ recent visit to the US, al-Quds said Abbas briefed Trump on documents and maps related to peace talks with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to Trump, asking him to use them as a starting point for future talks.
It added the Spanish city of Almodóvar del Río has voted in favor of the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said Pizza Hut restaurants conglomerate issued an apology for the inappropriate message that mocked Marwan Barghouti, who is leading the mass open-ended hunger strike in Israeli prisons.
K.F./M.K.
