RAMALLAH, March 17, 2012 (WAFA) – News reports that the Israeli army unleashed a dog to attack protesters in a non-violent West Bank demonstration dominated Saturday’s issue of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida said on its front page that an Israeli army dog attacked protesters during the weekly anti-settlements protest in the Qalqilya area village of Kufr Qaddoum on Friday, biting one protester who was arrested.

The daily also reported that the army fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the protesters soon after the demonstration began, injuring two and arresting many others.

Although the three dailies reported on this item and printed pictures of the Israeli dog biting the protester, the highlight of al-Ayyam daily was the United Nations and Arab League’s envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, expressing disappointment at the Syrian government’s response to his proposal on solving the year-old crisis in that country.

Al-Quds’ prime front page headline quoted European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton saying: “establishing a Palestinian state is an urgent need.”

Al-Hayat al-Jadida and al-Ayyam featured President Mahmoud Abbas’ meeting with Jordanian Parliament Speaker Abdul-Karim Al-Daghmi during which Abbas said “small obstacles are facing the formation of the technocrat government.”

Al-Quds editorial tackled the sudden lack of media coverage on the reconciliation process and condemned the repeated flimsy excuses presented to the Palestinian people. The daily called on Palestinians to hold accountable anyone responsible for the delay in implementing reconciliation.

R.Q./M.S.