RAMALLAH, Tuesday, September 08, 2020 (WAFA) – Prime Minster Mohammad Shtayyeh’s remarks on the Palestinian tax revenues kept by Israel dominated the front-page headlines in today’s issue of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies.

Shtayyeh was reported in the dailies stating: “The tax revenues are the money of the Palestinian people, and we refuse to submit to Israeli blackmail to get them.”

He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida stating that the US-touted Mideast plan, dubbed deal of the century, and Israel’s illegal annexation plans are now “behind our backs” thanks to President Mahmoud Abbas’ solid position.

The daily surge in the coronavirus infections in the occupied Palestinian territories also hit the front-page headlines.

Health Minister Mai Alkaila was reported in the dailies announcing that 789 new coronavirus cases were recorded.

Of the 789 new cases, al-Ayyam elaborated, 182 cases were confirmed in the Gaza Strip and 162 in Hebron governorate.

Alkaila was also reported in al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida saying that three COVID-19 deaths were also recorded in the occupied territories. According to al-Ayyam, however, five deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida added in this regard that 581 recovery cases were recorded in the last 24 hours.

Among the new confirmed cases and fatalities, al-Quds and al-Ayyam said that one death and 133 infections were confirmed in East Jerusalem.

The Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ministry was reported in the dailies announcing that 39 new cases were recorded among Palestinians in the diaspora.

Moreover, al-Quds said that an Israeli court ordered the eviction of the Rajabi family from their building in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan.

It said that Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz approved the construction of 5,000 new settler units in colonial settlements across the West Bank.

Moving to daily settler attacks, al-Quds and al-Ayyam said that Israeli settlers forced their way into the archeological site of Sebastia, northwest of Nablus.

Al-Quds added that groups of settlers barged their way into Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida also reported that Palestinians fended off a settler intrusion into Deir Jarir village, northeast of Ramallah. According to al-Quds and al-Ayyam, three settlers were injured.

Furthermore, al-Quds said that Israeli forces delivered demolition orders against two structures in Bethlehem.

Al-Ayyam said that Israeli occupation authorities razed Palestinian-owned land close to Yatta and al-Dhahiriya towns in Hebron district.

According to al-Quds, Israeli military vehicles infiltrated Gaza border east of Khan Younis city for dozens of meters and opened fire at farmers.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted a conference that was held in al-Bireh city on the condition of Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody.

They said that the participants warned of the coronavirus outbreak among prisoners in Israeli detention facilities and called for putting more popular pressure in support of the prisoners.

According to al-Quds, the Qatari grant would be disbursed today to dozens of impoverished families in Gaza.

President’s office was reported in al-Ayyam expressing high appreciation of the positive role played by the Palestinian community in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The office was also reported in al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida stating that the Palestinian community in UAE will remain a constructive element and will not be part of any passing crises.

Al-Ayyam covered a rally organized by Palestinian judges and lawyers in al-Bireh city calling for the dissolution of the transitional High Judicial Council (HJC).

Al-Hayat al-Jadida published a clarification statement from the HJC on the assignment of 20 judges to various institutions.

Highlighting other regional issues, al-Quds said that Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and Bahiya Hariri discussed the latest political developments during a meeting in Beirut.

Saudi Arabia’s ruler King Salman bin Abdulaziz was reported in the dailies expressing his country’s commitment to a fair solution to the Palestinian question and to the Arab Peace Initiative.

The dailies said that the European Union (EU) warned Serbia and Kosovo against relocating their Israeli embassies to Jerusalem.

Stockholm mayor Kadir Kasirga was reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida cautioning against the gravity of the Israeli threat to annex large swaths of the West Bank and urging Europe to take decisive actions against Israel.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida had a feature about Israeli theft of Palestinian artifacts.

K.F./M.K.