RAMALLAH, February 16, 2015 (WAFA) – The so-called Islamic State in
Iraq and Syria group’s purported beheading of Egyptian Coptic Christians who
were captured in Libya hit the front page headlines of Palestinian dailies.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported that the ISIS purportedly beheaded 21
Coptic Egyptians in Libya.
The papers said Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has declared
one week of mourning and called an urgent meeting for the National Defense
Bureau, the country’s top security body, in order to discuss the latest
developments and how to respond.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted al-Sisi: “Egypt reserves the
right to respond to punish their killers.”
The three dailies added in this regard that President Mahmoud Abbas
has condemned the murder, expressed his condolences for his Egyptian
counterpart and declared three days of mourning.
Both al-Quds and al-Ayyam printed a photo featuring handcuffed hostages wearing orange
jumpsuits kneeling with their black-suited captors getting ready to behead them
on one of Libya’s beaches.
While al-Quds and al-Ayyam highlighted
the purported beheadings as their front page news item, al-Hayat al-Jadida focused
on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s intention to storm the Ibrahimi
Mosque
Netanyahu has planned to ‘visit’ the
Hebron-based Ibrahimi Mosque as part of his efforts to win settler votes in the
upcoming Knesset elections.
The invitation for bids ]made by a right-wing settler
organization[ to conduct excavations in tunnels under
the western wall of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, was also covered by al-Hayat
al-Jadida in its main front page news item.
Al-Ayyam quoted the Al-Aqsa Foundation for Heritage and
Waqf (Religious Endowments) who warned that these excavations would result in
the destruction of ancient Islamic archeological findings.
Citing a report issued by the US Department of Defense in
1987, al-Quds reported that Israel has developed a hydrogen bomb that is much
stronger than a nuclear bomb.
It reported that Israeli settlers assaulted a Palestinian
driver in Jerusalem and razed Palestinian farmlands in the Nablus village of
Deir Istia.
Al-Quds published a story on the US-based Middle East
Studies Association (MESA) which has approved listing Israel’s boycott as an
item in its upcoming annual convention.
It also reported that 700 UK artists have pledged to
boycott Israel “until it puts an end to its colonial repression of the Palestinians.”
Al-Ayyam said that a Palestinian was shot and injured by
Israeli occupation forces to the east of Khan Younes in the Gaza Strip.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted Quartet envoy
Tony Blair’s visit to the Gaza Strip and said Blair introduced a plan that
requires Hamas to adopt the two-state solution, while calling for “improving
the living conditions” in preparation for the resumption of talks without
setting a timeframe.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted him: “The last conflict left Gaza
devastated and its people worn down and impoverished.”
Al-Ayyam reported that Netanyahu has urged European Jews to move to
Israel in the wake of the Copenhagen main synagogue’s attack and that he has
allocated INS 180 million ($45 million) for this purpose.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida in contrast reported that the Danish chief rabbi
has rejected Netanyahu’s call.
K.F/M.H
