RAMALLAH, July 27, 2015 (WAFA) – Clashes that erupted after groups of Jewish settlers led by Israeli Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel and protected by police forced their way into Al-Aqsa Mosque compound to mark Tisha B’Av Day, a Jewish holiday commemorating the ‘destruction of the temple’ hit the front pages headlines in the Arabic Palestinian dailies.

Al-Quds reported that hundreds of Israeli settlers and Special Forces led by Israeli Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque.   

It also reported that dozens of Muslim worshippers were injured when they confronted the storming settlers and that Special Forces fired tear gas canisters inside al-Qibli Mosque.  

Al-Ayyam reported in this regard that Palestinian crowds managed to confront the Israeli occupation forces and settlers, who stormed the Mosque.  

Al-Hayat al-Jadida front page headline read: “Al-Aqsa calls for help.” It said the holy site was desecrated by Israeli settler groups and occupation forces, who assaulted Muslim worshippers.

It also reported on the Palestinian government as calling upon Arab and Islamic states to take immediate action to save both Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.       

It also quoted Sheikh Ikrima Sabri as saying although Arabs are preoccupied with their infighting; they are not exonerated from their responsibility toward Al-Haram al-Qudsi (Al-Aqsa Mosque compound).   

Furthermore, al-Quds reported that Israeli settlers destroyed an ancient agricultural well in the Salfit village of Deir Istiya and that settlers attempted to assault the muezzin of the Ibrahimi Mosque, in the Old City of Hebron.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that a Palestinian young man was shot and injured by Israeli occupation forces purportedly for attempting to stab an Israeli soldier to the east of Hebron.

Al-Ayyam also reported that another Palestinian was detained purportedly for attempting to run over an Israeli police at the entrance of the illegal Israeli settlement of ‘Kiryat Arab’.

Both al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported on Haaretz, which published a story that the Israeli ‘Civil Administration’ has revealed ownership documents dating back to the Ottoman era proving that the Susiya village in the southern West Bank district of Hebron is built on private Palestinian property.

President Mahmoud Abbas was reported in al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida as having received a delegation from the Portuguese-Palestinian Friendship Committee.

He was also quoted in al-Hayat al-Jadida as stating: “Israel’s obstinacy to continue settlement construction has thwarted all efforts to achieve peace.”

Highlighted the financial crisis gripping UNRWA, al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported on UNRWA as announcing that the start of the upcoming academic year would be delayed as a result of the financial crisis, affecting half a million students studying in 700 UNRWA-run schools.

K.F/M.H