RAMALLAH, Thursday, October 15, 2020 (WAFA) – Israeli approval of the construction of thousands of housing units in its illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories was highlighted on the front page of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies published today.
The papers said Israel approved the construction of 2166 units in the settlements and more are expected in the coming days.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted the official spokesman of the Palestinian presidency, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, calling on the international community to act immediately to put a stop to the Israeli “settlement madness.”
Al-Ayyam said Jordan also condemned the new settlement construction.
Al-Quds daily quoted the Israeli Peace Now movement saying the approval is part of a wider plan to build 5000 housing units in the settlements, which will be approved today.
It also said that Israeli settlers have chopped hundreds of olive trees in the occupied territories and the army has torched olive fields.
Al-Ayyam said Israeli settlers’ attacks against Palestinians are on the rise.
It also said the Israeli military has decided to seal a room in the house of a Palestinian prisoner from the Jenin area.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Palestine is going to start litigating Israelis who committed crimes against the Palestinians in its courts.
The paper also highlighted the latest with the Palestinian hunger striker held in Israeli jails, Maher al-Akhras, who has been fasting for 81 days in protest against his administrative detention without charge or trial.
Al-Quds quoted Minister of Health Mai Alkaila calling on international organizations to intervene to save the life of al-Akhras.
Al-Ayyam said prisoners from Fatah and the Popular Front in Israeli jails are going to start today hunger strike in support of other prisoners held in solitary confinement.
Coronavirus in Palestine was also highlighted on the front page of the dailies today with al-Ayyam saying that four people have died, 532 new cases were recorded and 602 patients have recovered in Palestine yesterday.
Al-Ayyam said Washington is once again pressuring Saudi Arabia to follow suit of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain and normalize relations with Israel.
It said armed men raided a mosque in Khan Younis during the dawn prayers and abducted three people for hours. The Islamic Jihad, said the paper, has regretted the incident and said it was an individual act.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said India contributed $1 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine refugees.
It also reported on the Lebanese-Israeli negotiations on the maritime borders launched yesterday in the border town of Ras al-Naqoura.
M.K.
