RAMALLAH, May 21, 2011 (WAFA) – US President Barack Obama held on to what he said on Thursday that Palestinian-Israeli negotiations should be based on the 1967 borders, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting Washington, reiterated his rejection of this call, the three Palestinian Arabic dailies said on Saturday.
“After a heated meeting in the While House: Obama: Differences in opinion regarding the peace process,” was the main front page headline in Al-Quds, featuring a picture for Netanyahu and Obama wondering what to make up of Netanyahu.
“The US-Israel summit failed,” said Al-Ayyam headline, with a picture for both leaders each looking in the other direction.
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida said: “Netanyahu reiterates his rejection of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, slaps Obama.” However, it main front page picture was from Khan Younis showing several Palestinians raising the Palestinian flag during demonstration near the borders with Israel, but not close enough to be shot.
The three papers also featured the Palestinian Authority’s official reaction to what Netanyahu said in Washington after meeting Obama at the White House on Friday. President Abbas’ spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said that Netanyahu had clearly rejected Obama’s call for talks based on the 1967 borders, which means he is not interested in making peace.
The papers continued to report and analyze Obama’s Thursday’s speech on the Middle East. They also reported on the weekly Palestinian protests against the barrier Israeli is building deep inside the West Bank that is taking away rich agricultural fields from villages such as Bilin, Nilin, Nabi Saleh and many others.
Events in the turbulent Arab world, particularly in Syria, was also featured on the front pages of the three dailies.
The editorial in Al-Quds posed the question: What does Netanyahu want? It said Israel should heed what the international community wants, and that is to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories up to the 1967 borders and from East Jerusalem so that the Palestinians can have their own state.
“It is not reasonable or acceptable that security, stability and peace in this region should remain hostage in the hands of Israel and its extremist government,” said the paper.
M.A.
