RAMALLAH, Wednesday, February 05, 2020 (WAFA) – The European Union’s (EU) rejection of US President Donald Trump’s plan, which cements Israel’s longstanding policy of permanent occupation, colonialism and apartheid over the Palestinian people, hit the front page headlines in the dailies.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported that the EU slammed the so-called “deal of the century” and reiterating commitment to the negotiated two-state solution based on 1967 lines.

Al-Quds added that the EU threatens to take actions against the Israeli occupation, and al-Ayyam reported it supporting the establishment of “an independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable State of Palestine.”

Al-Ayyam elaborated that the EU does not recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the territories occupied since 1967.

The dailies said that President Mahmoud Abbas met Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s special envoy Alexander Lavrentiev as well as the Japanese Middle East peace envoy Masahiro Kono.

According to al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida, Abbas received a phone call from Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as well as from EU High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell.

In his phone call with Abbas, al-Ayyam elaborated, Zarif affirmed Tehran’s support to the efforts aimed at achieving reconciliation.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida elaborated that Abbas affirmed the Palestinian, Arab and Islamic position rejecting the plan.

Furthermore, al-Quds and al-Ayyam said that a number of Palestinians were detained and others injured in multiple Israeli military raids across the West Bank.

The dailies said that Israeli bulldozers a Palestinian house in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina and the foundations of another house in Jabal al-Mukabber neighborhood.

Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh was reported in al-Quds stressing that the Palestinian leadership would not accept US monopoly over and exclusive sponsorship of the peace process and talks with Israel.

Hamas chief Khaled Mashal was reported in al-Quds slamming the recently-announced US plan.

The article appeared the title In a special talk with al-Quds, Khaled Mashal: “What kind of a state ]if offered[ without Jerusalem, the right to return, sovereignty and releasing prisoners ]in Israeli jails[?

The dailies spotlighted Palestinian and Arab condemnations of the surprise meeting between Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu and Sudan’s leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

According to al-Hayat al-Jadida, Israeli occupation authorities banned former culture minister Ihab Bseiso travel to Bahrain.

It reported member of the PLO’s Executive Committee Azzam al-Ahmad arguing that Hamas was prepared yet to receive a delegation of various Palestinian factions in Gaza over unity talks.

Belgian foreign minister Philippe Goffin was reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida denouncing the construction of Israeli colonial settlements, and stressing the need to resolve the conflict based on a multilateral international mechanism.

The same daily said that a Palestine Telecommunications Company’s warehouse was looted in Gaza, threatening to suspend services.

The dailies highlighted United Nations (UN) secretary general António Guterres’ statements on the Question of Palestine.

Guterres was reported in al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida stressing the UN commitment to resolve the conflict on the basis of UN resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements and realizing the vision of two States on the basis of the pre-1967 lines.

Al-Quds said that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner is heading to the UN Security Council to market his “deal of the century” plan.

K.F.