RAMALLAH, September 22, 2016 (WAFA) – News that three Palestinian detainees ended their over 70-day-long hunger strike following an intervention and diplomatic efforts by President Mahmoud Abbas hit the front page headlines in the Palestinian dailies on Thursday.
Al-Quds described the events as a “victory” for the three hunger strikers. It said the head of the prisoners’ affairs commission, Issa Qaraqe, attributed the successful efforts that ended the hunger strike and their eventual release to Abbas and the Palestinian leadership.
Al-Ayyam said the three detainees ended their hunger strike following a decision by Israeli occupation authorities not to extend their administrative detention.
Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida said Muhammad and Mahmoud Balboul, who had been on a hunger strike for 77 and 79 days respectively, were set to be released on December 8 and Malik Qadi, who spent 68 days on hunger strike, was set to be released on Thursday.
While al-Quds highlighted the end of the hunger strike in their main front page news articles, al-Hayat al-Jadida opted to highlight President Mahmoud Abbas’ meetings at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Al-Quds said in this regard Abbas briefed the EU‘ foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on the latest efforts to convene an international peace conference on the Palestine issue.
In contrast, al-Ayyam opted to highlight in its main front page news article the Palestinian Supreme Court’s decision to postpone a decision on future municipal elections until October 3, five days before the actual local elections are scheduled to be held.
It together with the other dailies reported Central Elections Commission announcing that it would be no longer feasible to hold elections on October 8.
The three dailies said Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian school student in eastern Qalqilya in the north of the West Bank following an alleged stabbing attempt.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam highlighted the forceful displacement of 14 Palestinian families from their homes in the northern Jordan Valley to allow the Israeli army to conduct military exercises.
Highlighting demolition of Palestinian houses in Jerusalem, al-Quds said Israel plans to demolish eight residential buildings consisting of 26 apartments in the Jerusalem neighborhood of al-Issawiya.
It reported secretary general of the president’s office, Tayyib Abdul-Rahim, as stating Palestinians don’t want to spend more time in negotiations simply for the sake of negotiations.
Al-Quds said 26 Israeli settlers and students forced their way into Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and Israeli authorities prevented restoration works at the Dome of the Rock.
Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted US President Barack Obama’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York.
Obama was reported in al-Quds as describing US-Israel relations as “unbreakable” and in al-Hayat al-Jadida as expressing his “concerns” over Israeli settlement activity.
K.F./M.A.
