RAMALLAH, December 4, 2011 (WAFA) – The three Palestinian Arabic dailies Sunday focused on the Arab League’s new deadline for the Syrian government to allow its observers to monitor the country's unrest.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida’s main front page story highlighted the new deadline that was set for Sunday, as well as the Arab League’s sanctions against the Syrian government, including travel bans to Arab states and asset freezes on 19 senior Syrian officials.

The article’s subtitle reported on the death of 23 civilians and military personnel in Syria on Saturday, and the Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassem al Thani’s warnings that the situation in Syria can get out of control.

Al-Quds’ front page story featured blunt remarks by US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, who called on Israel to take bold steps, along with the U.S., to prevent itself from growing even more isolated internationally.

Panetta warned Israel from undermining the Palestinian Authority and called on Israel to return to the negotiating table, saying “just get to the damn table,” reported the daily.

Al-Ayyam and al-Quds newspapers printed pictures of an elderly woman wearing a traditional Palestinian dress waving a scarf at an Israeli military jeep, during an Israeli army attack on a non-violent demonstration against settlements in Khirbet Susiya, a locale south of Yatta in Hebron.

A headline in Al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted President Mahmoud Abbas’ political advisor, Nimer Hammad, saying, “No meeting between Abbas and Netanyahu before complete halt of settlement activities.”

Al-Quds reported on a meeting between the Egyptian leadership and the Palestinian factions later in December in Cairo, where factions will be informed of the details of the reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah, along with the outcomes of the recent meeting between the two.

The editorial in al-Quds daily tackled Panetta’s remarks, and wondered if Israel would respond to U.S. advice, considering that it is Israel’s top ally.

The paper also stressed the consistency and clarity of the Palestinian position toward the peace process, and called on the Quartet to take actions against Israel, hold it responsible for the halt of peace and negotiations, and force it to respond to the peace requirements.

R.Q./F.J.