RAMALLAH, January 7, 2015 (WAFA) – The three Palestinian Arabic dailies focused in their Thursday issue on President Mahmoud Abbas’ speech on Wednesday, in which he stressed that the Palestinian Authority will remain until an independent state of Palestine is established.

The PA will only be replaced by a Palestinian state, and “no one should dream that it will collapse,” Abbas was quoted as saying by al-Hayat al-Jadida and al-Ayyam.

Al-Quds said Abbas called for an international conference to convene in order to achieve the Arab Peace Initiative.

The dailies also reported on Abbas’ participation in the Christmas Eve celebrations and the Midnight Mass in Bethlehem.

The three dailies said Israeli Minister of “Defense” Moshe Ya’alon has approved the annexation of a church compound, located near Beit Ummar town to the north of Hebron, to the illegal settlement bloc of Gush Etzion.

Al-Ayyam said Israeli forces demolished five residential structures belonging to Palestinian Bedouins in Abu Nawar area, east of Jerusalem. It added that forces notified to demolish Palestinian-owned agricultural structures in the town of Beit Ummar near Hebron.

Al-Ayyam said Israeli troops detained at least 18 Palestinians during night raids across the West Bank districts and Jerusalem on Wednesday.

M.N/M.H