RAMALLAH, December 13, 2011 (WAFA) – The three Palestinian Arabic dailies focused Tuesday on the Israeli government’s approval of new housing units near Bethlehem, the Israeli closure of the ramp that leads to Magharbe Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City, and the opening of the new Shu’fat military checkpoint.

Al-Quds prime headline reported that Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved the construction of 40 housing units and a farm near Efrat settlement south of Bethlehem, as part of a larger settlement plan.

The paper said the new expansion will exceed Efrat’s built-up area and extend the Gush Etzion settlement bloc to practically reach the edges of the Palestinian suburbs south of Bethlehem.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted the latest Israeli decision to shut down the ramp that leads to Magharbe Gate, one of the gates of al-Haram al-Sharif compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, on Monday, claiming that it was in danger of collapse.

A subtitle featured the Palestinian Authority’s condemnation of the Israeli practices that aim to change the character of Jerusalem, and the Jordanian government’s warnings of demolishing the ramp.

The opening of the new permanent military checkpoint outside Shu’fat refugee camp, which officially cuts it off from East Jerusalem, was one of the highlights of al-Ayyam newspaper.

It said the new checkpoint will separate more than 60,000 Palestinian holders of Jerusalem residency who live in Shu’fat camp and surrounding neighborhoods from their schools, jobs, and other daily livelihood centers in Jerusalem.

The three papers featured reports by Israeli media that a group of extremist Jewish settlers cut their way through a fence on the Jordanian-Israeli border and took over a church on the Jordanian side, to protest the Jordanian role in the issue of Magharbe Gate.

The headline of al-Quds editorial read: “The issue is bigger than Magharbe Gate.” The newspaper tackled the recent Israeli decision regarding the gate, coinciding with the opening of Shu’fat new military checkpoint and the Israeli proposal to prevent Muslim calls for prayer.

The daily said the Israeli measures are part of the plan to Judaize Jerusalem and reduce the number of Palestinians living in it. It condemned the Arab and international silence and called for immediate pressure on Israel to stop its provocative actions.

R.Q./F.J.