RAMALLAH, November 27, 2011 (WAFA) – Sunday’s issues of the three Palestinian Arabic newspapers highlighted the Arab League meeting to impose sanctions on Syria, and the tragic death of five children in a house fire in Tulkarm.

Al-Ayyam daily reported on its front page that the foreign ministers of Arab League countries will discuss Sunday possible economic sanctions to be levied against the Syrian government, which were recommended by Arab League finance ministers on Saturday.

The headline reported the death of 27 civilians and 22 military personnel in clashes between civilian protesters against the regime and pro-Bashar al-Assad troops.

The newspaper said the Syrian government considered the Arab League’s decision to consider imposing sanctions and calling the United Nations to intervene as “tacit approval” of international intervention in Syrian internal affairs.

The tragic death of five children, all siblings between the age of five and 12 years, in a fire that engulfed their house in Quffin, a village northeast of Tulkarm, Saturday dominated al-Hayat al-Jadida’s front page.

The paper reported that the children’s parents, eldest son and daughter-in-law suffered from smoke inhalation while attempting to save the children.

The front page printed a picture of the children’s uncle holding a picture of the deceased.

Al-Quds newspaper published a lengthy article on the meeting between President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas official Khaled Meshaal on Thursday. The headline quoted Hamas official Moussa abu Marzouq on three other meetings to be held soon to discuss the elections, the government and reconciliation.

Abu Marzouq said a meeting between Hamas and Fatah will take place on December 18, followed by a meeting between all Palestinian factions on December 20, as well as a PLO meeting two days after.

AL-Hayat al-Jadida was the only daily to highlight Israeli threats to cut the electricity and water it supplies to the Gaza Strip if Hamas and Fatah agree on establishing a national unity government.

The news piece featured the Israeli government’s decision to continue withholding the Palestinian tax revenue money following the reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah.

Al-Ayyam printed a picture of Israeli soldiers assaulting a non-violent protest against settlement activities and the Apartheid Wall that was held Saturday near Karmi Tzur settlement in Beit Ummar, a town north of Hebron.

An exclusive interview with the Egyptian ambassador to the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Othman, was featured on al-Ayyam’s front page, where he considered the meeting between Abbas and Meshaal to be successful and to open new avenues to restore Palestinian internal unity.

R.Q./F.J.