RAMALLAH, April 28, 2015 (WAFA) – Israel's issuance of tenders to build 77 new housing units in illegal East Jerusalem settlements of ‘Neve Yaakov’ and ‘Pisgat Zeev’ together with a UN inquiry blaming Israeli forces for seven attacks on UN schools in Gaza during the 2014 Israeli onslaught on the strip, made page headlines in the Arabic Palestinian dailies.

Highlighting the new settlement construction plans as its main front page news item, al-Quds reported that Israel has invited bids for the construction of 77 settler units in East Jerusalem. The same issue was raised in the two other newspapers.

Highlighting the UN inquiry as its main front page news item, al-Ayyam reported that the UN has held Israeli military responsible for seven attacks on UN schools that were used as shelters in Gaza and that claimed the lives of 44 Palestinians and injured 227 others.

It further reported Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri as saying that the report “proves Israeli war crimes against Palestinian civilians ]in UNRWA shelters[.”

It further quoted Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki as stating that the report would be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

On the other hand, al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted the funeral procession of Palestinian teenager Muhammad Abu Ghannam, 17, who was shot dead by Israeli forces at a checkpoint in East Jerusalem.

It reported that Abu Ghannam’s body was laid to rest and that Israeli forces sealed the entrance of the East Jerusalem town of al-‘Issawiya and neighborhood of al-Tur using cement blocks.

It further reported that five Palestinian youths were detained by Israeli undercover forces from the Ramallah town of Beit Rima.

Regarding the situation in the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk in Syria, al-Quds reported that Damascus has requested that the PLO delegation postpones its scheduled visit to the camp until various Palestinian factions adopt a unified position on the camp crisis.

It further reported that Israeli police allowed ‘extremist Israeli Jews’ to hold a provocative rally in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Al-Ayyam reported that al-Malki has headed to Australia on his first official visit and will discuss in New Zealand the plans to submit a draft resolution to the UN Security Council.

It further reported that the Arab Higher Monitoring Committee will organize a strike in the Arab villages and towns across Israel as well as a rally in Tel Aviv in protest of the house demolitions.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that President Mahmoud Abbas met Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Lapo Pistelli and quoted him as stating: “We are committed to achieving peace based on the decisions and resolutions of international legitimacy.”

K.F./T.R.