RAMALLAH, Thursday, April 01, 2021 (WAFA) – The last-minute registration of major Palestinian parties for the May 22 legislative elections was highlighted on the front page of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies published today.
The main front-page story headline in al-Ayyam daily said: “Fatah registers its list before the deadline; a list for Barghouti and al-Kidwa, and another headed by (former Prime Minister Salam) Fayyad.”
Al-Quds daily’s main headline: “(Fatah Central Committee member Jibril) Rjoub expected to head the Fatah list after he was retired; Barghouti and al-Kidwa agreed on running for the elections together.”
The third daily, al-Hayat al-Jadida, totally avoided mentioning the last lists and said only in the headline: “Registration of candidates for the legislative elections closed; 36 lists (applied).”
Al-Ayyam quoted in another story observers saying that too many lists running in the elections will make it difficult for one political group to form a government.
Al-Quds reported in a news feature on the failure of the lists to come together and form joint lists.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh called for European pressure on Israel to respect the signed agreements, including holding elections in Jerusalem.
The three dailies also highlighted the latest with coronavirus at home, the region, and the world, and said that 13 people have died of the disease in Palestine yesterday as 2288 new cases were recorded in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Al-Ayyam said two people died in East Jerusalem and 61 new cases were recorded over two days.
Al-Quds quoted Health Minister Mai Alkaila saying that there is a decline in the number of deaths due to coronavirus as families of prisoners get ready to be inoculated against the disease starting today after Israel made it conditional for them if they want to visit their imprisoned sons.
Alkaila also said that the first batch of 25,000 doses of the AstraZeneca corona vaccine has arrived in Palestine.
Al-Ayyam said in a feature story that the vaccination rollout is going on smoothly at the various centers in the West Bank.
The three dailies also highlighted Israeli attacks against Palestinians in the occupied territories with al-Hayat al-Jadida saying that soldiers attacked and beat residents in Hebron as Jewish settlers break into Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, an archeological site in Samou, and sections of al-Tireh neighborhood in Ramallah.
Al-Quds said the occupation forces banned by force an event in Shufat refugee camp in East Jerusalem.
On the economy, al-Hayat al-Jadida said the World Bank provided an additional $9 million to strengthen Palestinian businesses during COVID-19, and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said the Palestinian economy witnessed a sharp decline of 11.5% in 2020 due to Covid-19.
M.K.
