RAMALLAH, June 27, 2015 (WAFA) – The killing of a Palestinian young man by Israeli forces in the Jordan Valley together with the signing of a historic Palestine-Vatican accord hit the front page headlines in Palestinian dailies.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported in their main front page news items that a Palestinian youth was shot dead by Israeli occupation forces at the Israeli military checkpoint of al-Hamra in the Jordan Valley. Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida noted in their headlines that he was killed in ‘cold blood.’

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida printed two photos for hundreds of Palestinians taking part in the youth’s funeral procession. The Palestinian was identified as Hamad Rumanin, 27, a resident of al-‘Auja town to the north of Jericho city.

The three dailies also covered the signing of a Palestine-Vatican accord, which concerns the activities of the Catholic church in the occupied Palestinian Territories (oPT). The accord, according to Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki, “includes an official recognition by the Holy See of Palestine as a state.”

The dailies reported in this regard that a ‘historic’ and ‘comprehensive’ accord was signed by the State of Palestine and the Holy See (Vatican). Al-Quds and al-Ayyam described the accord as ‘comprehensive’ and al-Hayat al-Jadida described it as ‘historic’.

Highlighting Israel’s opposition to the accord, al-Hayat al-Jadida reported on Israel’s resentment over the accord and al-Ayyam quoted Israel as claiming that the accord would damage the prospects of peace.

Al-Ayyam printed a photo featuring Vatican State Relations secretary Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher and al-Malki shaking hands after signing the accord at the Vatican.

Covering daily Israeli forces and settlers’ practices across the oPT, al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that dozens of Palestinians suffered excessive tear gas inhalation as Israeli forces proceeded to quell weekly Friday marches protesting the wall and settlement construction across the West Bank.

They also reported that anti-Arab racist graffiti was sprayed by extremist Israeli settlers on the exterior walls of a mosque in Beit Hanina.

The three dailies also reported that a total of 350,000 worshipers marked the second Friday of Ramadan at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in East Jerusalem. Al-Hayat al-Jadida added that worshipers marched through the compound in solidarity with Palestinian detainee Khader ‘Adnan, who is on a hunger strike in Israeli jails to protest his illegal administrative detention without charge or trial.

The dailies also reported President Mahmoud Abbas as expressing his condolences to Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, French President François Hollande and Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi in the aftermath of the terror attacks that rocked their countries.

The three dailies also reported that the Freedom Flotilla III has set sail from the Greek island of Crete to break the Israeli sea blockade on Gaza despite all Israeli attempts to prevent it.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted US State Department as stating that Israel mistreats Palestinian detainees.

K.F./T.R.