RAMALLAH, Monday, December 21, 2020 (WAFA) – The coronavirus toll in Palestine and its new variant that is causing concern all over the world were highlighted on the front page of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies published today in the occupied territories.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted the corona toll at home and said that 24 people have died of corona and 1427 new cases were recorded in Palestine in 24 hours.
The third daily, al-Quds, said the new coronavirus variant is out of control in Britain and that many countries have stopped flights to the United Kingdom.
Al-Quds also reported on coronavirus in Palestine, Jordan, Israel and around the world and quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who received the corona vaccine on Saturday night, saying that the effectiveness of the vaccine is not yet clear.
It said that despite the disease, the Christmas Market has opened in Bethlehem.
The paper also reported on the daily Israeli army and settlers’ activities in the occupied territories.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian civilians in the Jordan Valley and in Masafer Yatta in the south of the West Bank and uprooted trees in the northern West Bank.
It said settlers’ takeover of Palestinian homes in the occupied East Jerusalem is a political issue and involves the various departments in the Israeli occupation state.
Al-Ayyam said dozens of Palestinian families are under threat of eviction from their homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhoods of Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan for the benefit of Israeli settlers.
It said the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem has admitted to leasing land to the West Jerusalem Israeli municipality.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) saying that a preparatory committee for convening a meeting for the PLO’s Central Council is going to meet in few days.
It said the corona pandemic has left dire consequences on the Palestinian economy.
Al-Quds wondered in a news analysis if the Palestinian-Jordanian-Egyptian meetings are going to revive serious negotiations with Israel.
It also reviewed the short Palestinian film, Ghazal, which talks about the suffering of the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
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