RAMALLAH, October 4, 2016 (WAFA) – The Palestinian Supreme Court’s ruling on local elections, initially set for October 8, hit the front page headlines in the Palestinian dailies on Tuesday.

The three dailies said the Supreme Court ruled that local elections could be held only in the West Bank but not in the Gaza Strip.

The Central Elections Commission (CEC) recommended in a letter to President Mahmoud Abbas to postpone local elections for six months, said the dailies.

Al-Ayyam added Hamas rejected the Supreme Court’s ruling and other Palestinian political factions stressed that locals elections should be held in the West Bank and Gaza simultaneously.

Al-Quds reported some analysts describing the court’s ruling as one that would have “serious political implications.”

The general closure imposed by Israel on the West Bank and tightened restrictions in Jerusalem for the Jewish New Year also hit the front page headlines in the dailies.

Highlighting restricted Palestinian movement, al-Quds said Israeli forces placed Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem and the Ibrahimi Mosque in the southern West Bank city of Hebron under siege.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said scores of Israeli extremists escorted by police held provocative tours of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Al-Quds added an increasing number of Palestinians received police orders banning them from entering the mosque compound.

The dailies said a Palestinian man was forced to partly demolish his Jerusalem home with his own hands following an Israeli court order for building without a permit.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said Israeli naval boats have been placed on alert in Ashdod seaport in the south of the country in order to intercept the Women’s Boats heading to break the 10-year-old blockade Israel has imposed on the Gaza Strip.

Highlighting settlement construction plans across the West Bank, al-Quds said Israel advanced plans to build an industrial zone in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, south of Bethlehem.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said Israel finalized plans to start the construction of the “Jewel of Israel” synagogue in the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City.

The dailies said the Arab ministerial quartet stressed the importance of maintaining coordination with France over holding the international Middle East peace conference before the end of 2016.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Saudi Arabia decided to exempt Palestinians exports from customs.

K.F./M.A.