President Mahmoud Abbas, right, with Russian Primer Minister Dmirty Medvedev at the inauguration of a street in Jericho named after Medvedev. WAFA photo by Thayer Ghanayim.

RAMALLAH, November 12, 2016 (WAFA) – Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Jericho hit the front page headlines in Palestinian dailies on Saturday.

Highlighting Medvedev’s remarks during a joint press conference with Abbas, al-Quds reported him as expressing his country’s support for the “implementation of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”

He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida as stating the two-state solution is the “only way to bring real peace in this land.”

The three dailies reported Abbas as stating Palestinian recognition of Israel is not “to be for free” as it should be reciprocated by Israel’s recognition of the State of Palestine based on 1967 borders.

He was also reported in al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida as expressing his confidence that Russia would play an effective role in any political process.

Highlighting Abbas’ position on US President-elect Donald Trump, al-Hayat al-Jadida reported him as stating that what he cares about is what Trump would say after he enters the White House.

The dailies added that six cooperation agreements were signed between Russia and Palestine. Al-Hayat al-Jadida added Medvedev visited Hisham’s Palace and the Russian museum in Jericho. It added a street was named after Medvedev in Jericho.

Israeli plans to consolidate control over the West Bank through settlement construction following Trump’s victory also hit the front page headlines in the dailies.

The dailies said the Israeli right wing announced plans to approve the construction of thousands of new settler units in Jerusalem settlements.

Israel reportedly has approved the construction of 3,000 settler units in Gilo settlement, 2,600 settler units in Givat Hamatos and 1,500 units in Ramat Shlomo.

Al-Quds added the right wing seeks to change the status quo at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, while al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida added Israel also seeks to step up demolition of Palestinian homes.

Highlighting clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians during the weekly Friday protests, the dailies said four Palestinians were shot and injured with live fire during clashes to the east of Gaza city, near the Nahal Oz border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip.

They added several Palestinians were shot and injured with rubber-coated steel bullets and others suffocated as Israeli troops attacked Friday protests that commemorated the 12^th anniversary of the death of the late president, Yasser Arafat, across the West Bank.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israeli forces fired mortar shells at locations near Khan Younes in the southern Gaza Strip.

Highlighting Trump’s first statement on the Middle East ‘peace process’, the dailies reported Trump said his administration would play an important role in “helping the parties to achieve a just and lasting peace”.

Furthermore, al-Quds reported the UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Aid and Development Activities Robert Piper as condemning Israeli activities that have obstructed the UN from assisting Palestinian communities across the occupied Palestinian territories.

It reported him as stating there has been a huge increase in the demolitions of donor-funded structures in Palestinian communities by Israel.

Al-Ayyam said Israel re-detained a British citizen of Lebanese origin for purportedly cooperating with Hamas.

It added Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman slammed Arab member of Israeli parliament Ayman Odeh for attending a ceremony commemorating the 12^th anniversary of Arafat’s death in Ramallah.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted a controversial performance of a play by Israel’s national theater in the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba.

K.F./M.A.