RAMALLAH, March 27, 2012 (WAFA) – Al-Ayyam newspaper Tuesday highlighted reports that the Hamas de-facto government in Gaza arrested Palestinians allegedly for spreading rumors against the movement.

The prime headline said Hamas arrested over 120 cap drivers in the Gaza Strip under the pretext of circulating rumors inciting against Hamas and holding it responsible for the power crisis in the Strip. Hamas claims the drivers were former members of the Palestinian security forces.

Another article on al-Ayyam’s front page featured accusations by Hamas against the Egyptian government of exploiting the power crisis in Gaza for its political agenda.

The main focus of both al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida dailies was the Israeli government’s decision to sever ties with the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) after its decision to probe Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida’s headline reporting on this item said UNHRC president, Laura Lasserre, considered the Israeli decision 'very regrettable.”

Al-Quds exclusively reported that Palestine Electricity Company reached an agreement with the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation to supply fuel to the Gaza power plant as a permanent solution to the current power crisis in the Strip due to fuel shortage.

The dailies also featured the popular campaign commemorating the tenth year anniversary of the arrest of Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti. Al-Hayat al-Jadida printed a picture of hundreds of Palestinians raising flags with Barghouti’s picture in an event held in solidarity with him in Ramallah on Monday.

Al-Quds editorial tackled the events in support of Barghouti and all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, as well as condemned Israeli racism against Palestinians, noting the recent hate-attack by Israeli sports fan against Palestinians in an Israeli mall and the media blackout on this incident.

R.Q./M.S.