RAMALLAH, November 26, 2011 (WAFA) – The situation in Syria, the escalations in Egypt and the construction of new housing units in Jerusalem dominated Saturday’s issues of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies.

Al-Ayyam’s main story reported that the Syrian government ignored the Arab League deadline, set for Friday, to allow Arab monitors in the country, which puts Syria facing possible sanctions by the Arab League and an intervention by the United Nations.

The daily also featured the death of 30 civilians in Syria on Friday by President Bashar al-Assad troops, while subtitles reported that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced his willingness to help the Arab League with the Syrian file.

The escalated situation in Egypt was the focus of al-Hayat al-Jadida. The main front page story reported on the continuous protests in Tahrir Square in Cairo, which was opposed to the military rule, and on another demonstration supportive of the military rule in the country. The daily printed pictures of both protests.

The main headline reported that the current Imam of al-Azhar Mosque, Mohamed el-Tayeb, demanded the Egyptian military to hand over power to a civilian rule.

Al-Quds chose to focus on the start of building 78 housing units in an Israeli settlement in Jerusalem after the construction company won the Israeli government’s bid to carry out the project. The headline also reported that dozens of housing units in the settlements of Har Homa (Jabal Abu Ghneim), south of Jerusalem, and Pisgat Zeev, north of the city, have been put up for sale.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida was the only newspaper to highlight Israeli threats to continue withholding tax revenues Israel collects on goods imported by Palestinians and entering through its ports following the announcement of a new partnership between Hamas and Fatah during the meeting between President Mahmoud Abbas and Khaled Meshaal held in Cairo on Thursday.

The story carried a subtitle quoting Meshaal as saying that “Israeli threats do not scare us,” and stressing that it is too early to talk about a Hamas presidential candidate.

News on the weekly marches against settlements and the Apartheid Wall across the West Bank on Friday made it to al-Quds front page, reporting that dozens Palestinian, Israeli and international activists were injured during the Israeli crackdown on the non-violent marches. The slogan of the protests was national unity.

R.Q./M.S.