RAMALLAH, April 27, 2016 (WAFA) – Israeli Jewish settlers’ intrusions into Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and an ancient park in the southern West Bank district of Yatta hit the front page headlines in Palestinian dailies.

The three dailies reported that Israeli police physically assaulted Palestinian worshippers and guards stationed at the mosque compound ]as the latter attempted to protest and prevent Jewish settlers from performing rituals[.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that police detained two guards as they attempted to prevent Jewish settlers from performing religious rituals.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam added in this regard that police escorted 12 right-wing Jewish settlers who attempted to perform religious rituals. Al-Ayyam said that 267 settlers forced their way into the mosque compound on Tuesday.

Settlers intrusions into an ancient park in the southern West Bank district of Yatta also hit the front page headlines in al-Quds and al-Ayyam.

They reported that Israeli settlers stormed and performed religious rituals at the ancient park of Yatta. The ancient park is located in al-Karmil village, which is under full Palestinian jurisdiction in Area A.

Al-Quds reported that three Palestinians coming from Nablus were detained in Jerusalem allegedly for planning to carry out an attack.

It also reported that the ‘Jerusalem Municipality’ doubled tax on empty homes by five times under the pretext of motivating owners to lease or sell them.

Highlighting cabinet’s weekly session, al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported the cabinet as warning against the accelerating pace of Israeli settlement construction across the West Bank and Israeli steps to mislead the international community.  

Al-Quds quoted member of Hamas political bureau Hamas Mousa Abu Marzouq as stating that the Gaza seaport and port could not constitute tools to separate Gaza from the West Bank.

Al-Ayyam reported French Foreign Ministry as expressing concerns that the current situation in Jerusalem is very serious.

Finally, al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that President Mahmoud Abbas inaugurated a statute of late South African leader Nelson Mandela in the Ramallah neighborhood of al-Tira.

It noted that the square where the statue was installed was officially renamed Mandela Square.     

K.F.