RAMALLAH, Monday, April 13, 2020 (WAFA) – The shocking number of corona-infected people in occupied Jerusalem, particularly in Silwan neighborhood, and churches empty of worshippers celebrating Easter Sunday were highlighted on the front page of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies today.
The papers said 19 coronavirus cases were reported in Silwan yesterday causing concern that the number could be much higher in light of the Israeli health ministry’s failure to care for the Palestinian neighborhoods in the occupied city.
Al-Ayyam said that only in occupied Jerusalem, Palestinians had to declare themselves as contracting the corona disease.
At the same time, three new corona cases were reported in the West Bank yesterday, said the three papers, while one recovery reported in Ramallah, with al-Hayat al-Jadida printing a picture of people welcoming home recovered cases.
Al-Ayyam had a picture on its front page of an empty church on Easter Sunday.
It said in the story that services were held without worshippers for Easter Sunday for the Western churches and Palm Sunday for the Eastern churches.
Al-Quds quoted Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh saying that it is too early to talk about return to normal economic activities, while Finance Minister Shukri Bishara saying that revenues could decline by 70 percent.
Al-Ayyam quoted Bishara saying that there is an understanding in principle with Israel to transfer to the Palestinian treasury the monthly clearance revenues at their regular amount and that the Palestinian Authority hopes to pay full salary to its employees to keep the economy running.
It quoted a UN official saying that the corona pandemic may leave serious negative consequences on the Palestinian economy and the sustainability of the Palestinian Authority.
Al-Quds said Turkey is going to send medical supplies to Palestine.
It said Israel intends to build 410 new housing units in its illegal settlements.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said an Israeli employer abandoned his Palestinian worker in the West Bank after he was suspected of being infected with coronavirus.
The paper’s main front page story focused on President Mahmoud Abbas and his contacts with Arab and world leaders during which they discussed efforts to combat coronavirus in Palestine.
M.K.
