RAMALLAH, May 29, 2012 (WAFA) – The road the Palestinians have started toward reconciliation continue to dominate the front page stories of Tuesday’s Palestinian Arabic dailies.
“Steps toward reconciliation start in Gaza,” reads the main headline in al-Quds.
“Hamas allows the elections commission to work in Gaza, Nasir expects to update voter registry in six weeks,” said the main front page headline in al-Ayyam.
“Talks to form the government start in Cairo, Nasir announces in Gaza elections commission starts work,” said the main headline in al-Hayat al-Jadida.
The raising of an Israeli flag by Israeli soldiers inside the Muslim al-Haram al-Sharif, the holy sanctuary, compound in Jerusalem’s Old City, which includes al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, received prominence on the front page of the three dailies.
The papers highlighted this story reporting about angry Palestinian reaction to this move by Israeli soldiers who entered the yards of the compound during a regular visit but turned it into a provocative act by raising the Israeli flag and taking pictures with it beside the Dome of the Rock.
President Mahmoud Abbas calling on Europe to play a more active role in the Middle East peace process was also highlighted on the front pages of the dailies. Abbas’ statements came during his meeting in Ramallah with the secretary general of the Council of Europe.
The papers also highlighted the latest revelation regarding the Union of Public Employees, which has been deemed illegal by a presidential committee. They also highlighted reports by Israeli sources that the army will hand over to the Palestinians on Friday remains of Palestinian fighters kept in numbered graves in Israeli cemeteries for decades.
Other headlines touched on the aftermath of the elections results in Egypt, Kofi Annan’s mission in Syria and the conflict between Turkey and Israel over the Israeli attack on the Navi Marmara ship two years ago.
M.S.