RAMALLAH, July 7, 2011 (WAFA) – Prime Minister Salam Fayyad’s radio talk on the financial crisis, which forced the government to pay only half of the June salaries to its employees, as well as the expected arrival of hundreds of international activists at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel late Thursday and Friday was the main focus of the three local Arabic dailies.
Al-Ayyam’s main headline quoted Fayyad as saying that “the financial crisis is real, but it is not new.” Al-Quds also had a headline quoting Fayyad as saying that “we will not accept that the financial crisis be used to question our readiness for statehood.” Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Fayyad does not expect financial and economic collapse.
The main headline in Al-Quds had to do with the expected arrival of hundreds of pro-Palestinian international activists in Israel in the next few days. It said that Israel is on high alert at sea and on land in anticipation of the arrival of activists from the sea and the air.
The papers also reported on the upcoming meeting of the quartet principals in Washington. Al-Quds quoted an Arab diplomat as saying that Washington wants the quartet meeting to be successful and satisfactory to all parties.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida’s main headline had to do with the planned discussion at the United Nations Security Council of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict later this month. The same story reported on the quartet meeting and the visit of the two Palestinian officials, presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh and chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, to Washington where they met US officials and discussed the quartet and Security Council meetings.
Al-Ayyam said Palestinian and Israeli activists plan a demonstration in Jerusalem on July 15 in support of Palestinian efforts to get UN recognition.
The editorial in Al-Quds said the international activists had already achieved their goals in spite of the Israeli measures against them. It said that the protesters, whether they were at the Syrian and Lebanese borders with Israel during the Nakba Day, or coming to Gaza on ships or arriving at the airport, were all unarmed and peaceful. Yet, Israel chooses to use force against them which provoked UN and other condemnation of its acts.
“Such use of blatant force without any consideration to anyone may make Israel succeed on the short term, but it makes it lose the support of international public opinion and expose its anti-peace policies,” said the paper. “Unfortunately, influential countries such as the United States and the European Union choose to just watch or even collaborate with Israel’s steps.”
The opinion pieces in Al-Ayyam focused on what one writer referred to as “the hot autumn,” in reference t o expected developments in September when the Palestinians hope to get UN recognition of their state.
M.A.
