RAMALLAH, February 8, 2012 (WAFA) – The three Palestinian Arabic dailies Wednesday focused on the dispute within Hamas over naming President Mahmoud Abbas as head of the new reconciliation government.

The main front page headline in al-Quds focused on this issue and said that internal disputes within Hamas would obstruct implementation of the Doha agreement between Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal.

The daily featured conflicting statements and positions regarding the Doha agreement, including statement by  Hamas legislator Ismail Ashqar criticizing the Qatari-sponsored pact saying it “violates the Palestinian Authority’s Basic Law and bypasses the Palestinian Legislative Council.”

Al-Quds also quoted Fatah Central Committee member Azzam al-Ahmad saying that Hamas nominated Abbas to head the new national unity government and to proceed with plans to hold presidential and legislative elections in the Palestinian Territory.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted on its front page the Israeli court decision sentencing Islamic Jihad leader Khader Adnan to four-month in administrative detention. The paper quoted Adnan’s wife as saying that her husband was in critical condition as he entered his 53rd day in open-ended hunger strike.

The newspaper printed a picture of demonstrators in Ramallah in solidarity with Adnan.

Al-Ayyam was the only daily to focus on settlers’ attacks targeting a monastery and a school in Jerusalem in suspected Price Tag attacks, printing a picture of a monk passing by a vandalized car with anti-Christianity and anti-Arab slogans painted on it.

The three dailies quoted Abbas stressing that his decision not to run for president in upcoming elections is final.

Al-Quds editorial criticized the Israeli efforts to thwart the Palestinian reconciliation, adding that the international community must not support Israeli propaganda against reconciliation, which will lead to a credible peace process.

R.Q./M.S.