RAMALLAH, May 18, 2015 (WAFA) – The three Palestinian Arabic dailies focused in their Monday issue on the canonization of two Palestinian nuns from the 19^th Century by Pope Francis, during an event at the Vatican on Saturday.

Attended by President Mahmoud Abbas, the ceremony saw Pope Francis declare Marie Alphonsine Ghattas and Mariam Baouardy as the first two Palestinian saints of modern times.

In a different subject, al-Quds said dozens of Palestinians suffocated by teargas after Israeli police suppressed a protest against a provocative march by settlers in Jerusalem’s Old Town on Sunday. It reported that 11 Palestinians, including a minor, were arrested by Israeli police.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida also reported on the march and showed a picture of Israeli settlers performing provocative dances at Jerusalem’s Bab al-Amoud square, celebrating the anniversary of the occupation of historical Palestine.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said illegal Israeli settlers on Sunday attacked a yard near the Hebron town of Shuyukh, and chopped down about 800 olive trees owned by local residents.  

Al-Ayyam said the Islamic Hamas Movement condemned the recent death penalty verdicts in Egypt, which included five dead Palestinians, among 106 defendants referred by an Egyptian court to the grand mufti, to consider death sentences against them on jailbreak charges.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted Chairman of the Prisoners’ Affairs Committee, Issa Qaraqe, who said that the number of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli jails against their administrative detention is likely to increase.

Al-Ayyam said the Islamic State group took over the Iraqi city of Ramadi from government forces on Sunday.

Al-Quds reported that Finland has declared a boycott against the Israeli Jewish National Fund.

M.N./T.R.