RAMALLAH, June 7, 2012 (WAFA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approval to build 851 housing units in the illegal West Bank settlements to appease Jewish settlers after a parliament vote in favor of evicting the Ulpana outpost near Ramallah dominated the front page headlines of the Thursday issue of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies.

Al-Quds reported on a statement by President Mahmoud Abbas’ spokesman condemning Netanyahu’s decision to build the housing units, which means, among other things, expanding Beit El settlement where the Ulpana outpost is located.

The paper also highlighted a story about an assault by Israeli prison guards against Palestinian prisoners at Rimon prison, which resulted in injuring a number of prisoners. The guards from a special army unit raided cells of prisoners in one section of Rimon prison allegedly to search for telephones. Prisoners said the raid was to avenge their hunger strike last month.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted an Egyptian official saying that the Palestinian reconciliation process between Fatah and Hamas was moving in a positive direction.

Al-Ayyam quoted head of Fatah delegation to the reconciliation talks with Hamas, Azzam al-Ahmad, saying “everything is going smoothly and positively in accordance with what was agreed upon earlier.”

It also highlighted the new massacre in Hama that resulted in the death of about 100 Syrians, less than two weeks after the massacre in the town of Houla.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported on PLO Executive Committee member Saeb Erekat denying reports that US President Barak Obama had questioned Abbas’ intentions or devotion to the peace process as reported in the Israeli press. Erekat said that after checking the matter with the US, it was found out that these reports were baseless.

M.H./M.S.