RAMALLAH, July 21, 2011 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas’ European tour to solicit support for recognition of a Palestinian state in September and how Europe feels about this strategy was the focus of Thursday’s three Palestinian Arabic dailies.

Abbas’ meeting with Spanish officials during his tour was the main story in the three papers, Al-Quds, Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat al-Jadida. However, Al-Quds top front page headline was on differences between various European countries over Palestinian plans to seek UN recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders in September.

The papers also reported on an interview Prime Minister Salam Fayyad gave to Al-Arabiya satellite television on the financial crisis facing the Palestinian Authority. The papers quoted Fayyad as saying that if the financial crisis was not resolved soon, he might find difficulty paying salaries.

At the same time, Al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted the PA’s accountant general Yousef al-Zummur as saying that there is no date for paying the second half of the June salary to the public employees. The PA had paid only half of the June salary.

Al-Ayyam quoted Fatah leader Azzam al-Ahmad as saying that Abbas gave orders to continue in reconciliation efforts with Hamas.

Al-Quds editorial was on the European position from the peace process, criticizing Europe’s failure to face US hegemony over the region’s politics. It said Europe can play a bigger role if it wants instead of only expressing disappointment at Israeli policies, which does not have any impact on anyone, according to the paper.

M.A.