RAMALLAH, November 9, 2016 (WAFA) – The race for the White House between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton attracted lots of attention in Palestinian dailies on Wednesday.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam highlighted ‘fierce competition’ between Trump and Clinton, while al-Hayat al-Jadida wondered who will become the next US president.

Highlighting demolition of Palestinian property, the dailies said Israeli bulldozers demolished three Palestinian buildings in the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Wadi al-Joz, Issawiya and al-Tur.

The dailies highlighted Israeli “Civil Administration’s” approval of the construction of three major industrial zones near Mechabim settlement, northwest of Ramallah.

Covering Israeli military West Bank raids,  al-Quds said Israeli settlers stormed Nablus’ Joseph Tomb sparking clashes with local Palestinians.

It added Israeli forces closed down two blacksmith workshops in Jenin and the Hebron-area town of Yatta purportedly for being used for manufacturing weapons.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida said forces detained at least 22 Palestinians, including a physically handicapped person, in overnight raids across the West Bank and opened fire at Palestinian fishermen in northern Gaza.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida said Palestinian cabinet announced a half-day workday on Thursday to allow state employees to participate in events commemorating 12 years since the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The cabinet also reportedly announced an official holiday on Tuesday marking 28 years for the Palestinian declaration of independence Arafat had announced in Algiers on November 15, 1988.

Furthermore, al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israel blocked Palestinian Authority’s efforts  to obtain full membership in international police organization INTERPOL. They added the INTERPOL would refer the PA’s membership request to a legal committee.

Furthermore, al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted Indian Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar’s visit to the occupied Palestinian territories.

They said President Mahmoud Abbas laid the cornerstone of the India-funded Palestine-India Techno Park in Birzeit University.

The dailies added Abbas would officially inaugurate on Wednesday the Yasser Arafat Museum built in the Ramallah presidential headquarters, the Muqata, next to the Arafat burial site.

Spotlighting European diplomats’ visit to the impoverished Gaza enclave, al-Ayyam reported head of the EU delegation to the West Bank and Gaza Ralph Tarraf as calling for the Israeli blockade to be lifted and international organizations to be allowed free movement.

K.F./M.A.