RAMALLAH, September 19, 2011 (WAFA) – The three Palestinian Arabic dailies Monday focused on President Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to New York to participate in the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly and apply for the recognition and membership of a Palestinian state in the UN Security Council.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida featured Abbas’ visit to the UN headquarters, and the US and European Union efforts to stop the Palestinian Authority from applying for recognition on September 23, in order for the US to avoid using the veto against the request.

Al-Ayyam’s headline read: “Abbas heads to New York in a historical, hard and fateful journey.”

It also printed a picture of a tourist snapping a photo of the Palestine State No. 194 banner in the Church of Nativity yard in Bethlehem.

Al-Quds reported on the Israeli army preparations to face potential Palestinian demonstrations on Friday. This news piece also featured settlers’ planned demonstrations in the West Bank tomorrow, in which they are threatening to shoot at Palestinians.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida’s and al-Quds’ front pages also featured expressions of support of Abbas’ bid by local institutions and municipalities in the West Bank.

A poll published in the front pages of al-Ayyam and al-Hayyat al-Jadida showed statistics indicating that the majority of world countries support the Palestinian bid to the UN.

Al-Ayyam reported on Hamas’ rejection of the Palestinian bid to the UN, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying “the UN bid is doomed to fail.”

An Al-Quds editorial focused on Abbas’ initiative to the UN, and the US and European Union’s opinion regarding it, which was described as manipulative and biased towards Israel. The editorial supported Abbas’ and the Palestinian people’s efforts to get full membership and recognition of a Palestinian state in the UN Security Council.  

M.H./F.J.