RAMALLAH, August 25, 2015 (WAFA) – News that a US judge
ordered the Palestinian Authority (PA) to post $10 million in cash or
bond while appealing a ruling to pay hundreds of millions of US dollars to
American victims of attacks together with the start of the 2015/16 school year
hit the front page headlines in Palestinian dailies.
Covering the US judge’s order in its main front page news
article, al-Quds reported that a US judge has ordered the PA to post a very
expensive bond in favor of 10 US families pending appeal of a verdict that
awarded American victims and their families damages amounting to $655 million.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported in this regard that
the US judge ordered the PA to post $10 million in bond in a “terrorism
support” case. Al-Ayyam added in this regard that the US judge has responded to
the US Administration’s recommendation that he “carefully considers” the PA’s
finances.
According to media, “A New York jury found the PA and PLO
liable for six attacks in Jerusalem between 2002-2004, awarding American
victims and their families damages that amounted to $655.5 million.”
Furthermore, the remarks made by Premier Rami Hamdallah and
President Mahmoud Abbas on the occasion of the start of the 2015/16 school
years as well as the inauguration of a university faculty in Gaza hit the front
pages headlines in daily newspapers.
Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that Hamdallah
visited a school in Tulkarem and another in the Nablus village of Duma to mark
the first day of the new school year of
2015-2016.
Al-Quds added in this regard that a total of 1.2 million
Palestinian students have started their school year. Al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted
Hamdallah as stating: “The international community must oblige Israel to halt
all of its practices that violate Palestinian children’s right to a safe
education.
President Mahmoud Abbas’ remarks marking the inauguration of
a new faculty in the Gaza-based al-Azhar University were covered in al-Ayyam
and al-Hayat al-Jadida. This news item made it as the main front page news
article in al-Hayat al-Jadida.
Abbas was quoted in both dailies as urging the Palestinian
people to establish more “cohesion” and reject “distorted solutions” to the
Palestinian question.
Furthermore, al-Quds and al-Ayyam highlighted the start of
the 2015/2016 school year in the UNRWA-run schools following the financial
crisis that threatened its delay.
Al-Quds reported that UNRWA's Commissioner General, Pierre Krähenbühl has suspended the
decision to force staff to take an unpaid exceptional leave. He was also
reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida as stating that thanks to the support provided
by the PA ]and
other donor countries[ the UNRWA has been able to overcome its funding
shortfall necessary for the start of the new school year.
They also reported that over 200,000 school
students in Gaza were forced to return home after local staff went on a strike
on the first day of the new school year and that a total of 9,000 public
teachers have not yet received their salaries.
Moreover, al-Quds and al-Ayyam highlight
the Israeli move to outlaw Muslim male and female worshippers, often referred
to as “Murabitin” (for males) and “Murabitat” (for females), who barricade
themselves inside Al-Aqsa mosque compound on a daily basis to block settlers’
entry into the site. This theme was covered as the main front page news item in
al-Ayyam.
The two dailies read that Israel intends to
outlaw the “Murabitin” and “Murabitat” who defend the mosque.
Furthermore, al-Quds reported that the
Palestinian National Council is set to hold its extraordinary session on
September 15.
Meanwhile, al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida
reported on Israeli President Reuven Rivlin as saying that Israel had a “right
to have sovereignty” over the West Bank, and a right to build settlements
there.
Finally, both dailies reported that a total
of 80,000 UK nationals have signed a petition urging the arrest of Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes when he visits London next
month.
K.F./T.R.
