RAMALLAH, October 11, 2011 (WAFA) – The issue of Palestinian prisoners who have been on an open hunger strike for 15 days was the focus of Tuesday’s three Arabic dailies.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported on its front page that the prisoners are considering refraining from water and medicine also until the Israeli prisons administration responds to their demands, mainly to end the solitary confinement policy.

The daily also reported on the sharp deterioration in the health of Ahmad Sa’adat, secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), after 13 days of hunger strike in solitary confinement.

Al-Quds newspaper printed a picture of Prime Minister Salam Fayyad’s visit to the set up tent in the International Red Cross headquarters in Ramallah, where he called on the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to force Israel to respond to the prisoners’ demands.

An exclusive interview in al-Ayyam daily with President Mahmoud Abbas was the highlight of its front page, reporting that Abbas will not run for a second presidential term.

Abbas stressed that he will resume negotiations with Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agrees to the two-state solution and halt of settlements, adding that resuming negotiations does not mean withdrawing the application for UN statehood membership because one does not contradict the other.

A report published in al-Quds daily reported on the strain the Palestinian statehood bid is putting on the European Union's desire to present a unified front on the issue, according to French Foreign Minister Alian Juppe.

The report added that the EU had instructed its foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, to continue in her efforts to renew Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

R.Q./F.J.