RAMALLAH, Tuesday, March 16, 2021 (WAFA) – Two of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies published today highlighted the latest with the coronavirus pandemic in Palestine and its impact on life in general, while the third also reported on the coronavirus but highlighted the Israeli demolition of Palestinian structures and other measures as its main front-page story.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida dailies said in their top front-page story that 25 people have died of the coronavirus in Palestine yesterday and 2298 new cases were recorded.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted Health Minister Mai Alkaila warning that the situation in Palestine has become very critical with the spread of new variants of the pandemic and that Palestine needs to inoculate 60 percent of its people to return to normal life and to open its economy once again.
Al-Ayyam quoted Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh saying that big progress has been made in obtaining the corona vaccines, which are expected to arrive soon in Palestine.
The third daily, al-Quds, said on the coronavirus but lower in the page that six people have died of the disease in occupied East Jerusalem, while 208 new cases were recorded over two days.
However, the main front-page story in al-Quds highlighted the Israeli occupation measures against the Palestinians and said that several structures were demolished in Jerusalem and near Bethlehem, two youths were shot and injured near Ramallah, and settlers tore down fences near Nablus in the north of the West Bank.
It also said that Israel plans to launch a project on the roofs of homes in the old city of occupied Jerusalem, which it said is one of the most dangerous Israeli projects in the occupied city that would leave drastic effects on its market. It said the Islamic Waqf is concerned about this project since it infringes on its property in the old city.
On the upcoming Palestinian elections, al-Quds published remarks by the incarcerated head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Ahmad Saadat, urging wide participation in the elections.
Saadat is imprisoned by Israel for his role in the resistance.
The paper also said that delegates of the Palestinian political factions have started to arrive in Cairo for their meeting to sort out final issues related to the elections.
It also quoted Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouk saying President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected an Israeli call for postponing the elections.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh saying that there will be no going back on elections, that there are Arab and European efforts to revive the peace process, and contacts with the United States create an atmosphere to return relations to the way they were.
Al-Quds printed remarks by ousted Fatah official Nasser al-Qudwa in which he talked about cutting funding for the Yasser Arafat Institute, which he runs, and pulling out his guards after he decided to run in the elections in a list separate from the official Fatah list.
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