RAMALLAH, Thursday, April 23, 2020 (WAFA) – The death of a Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli jail, the fatal shooting of an alleged Palestinian attacker and remarks by President Mahmoud Abbas on the lockdown and the expected Israeli annexation of occupied Palestinian territory were highlighted on the front page of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies published today.

The main headline in al-Quds daily said: “Two martyrs from Sawahre and Aboud, injuries in the West Bank.”

Al-Hayat al-Jadida said the prisoner, Nour Barghouti, from Aboud near Ramallah, has died in prison after he fell and was not attended to immediately, and Ibrahim Halaseh, from Sawahre, near Jerusalem, was shot dead at an Israeli army checkpoint after an alleged car ramming and stabbing attack.

The main front page story in al-Hayat al-Jadida focused on the speech by President Abbas on the occasion of Ramadan and quoted him saying that “We will not stand by with our hands tied if Israel annexes any part of our land.”

The other two dailies, al-Quds and al-Ayyam, also quoted Abbas saying this about the annexation and as well on the importance of the lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus outbreak.

The three papers also quoted presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh criticizing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for his statements on Israeli annexation of occupied land.

Al-Quds said the statement from Pompeo came in response to a question by its correspondent in Washington.

It said six new corona cases were discovered in occupied East Jerusalem as the foreign ministry announced that there were 44 deaths among diaspora Palestinians from coronavirus disease.

Al-Ayyam said the new moon for the fast month of Ramadan will be watched for tonight as some Arab countries have already announced that tomorrow, Friday, is the first day of Ramadan.

It said there is concern in Gaza with the rise in corona cases among the quarantined.

M.K.