RAMALLAH, November 30, 2016 (WAF) – The opening of Fatah’s seventh conference at the presidential headquarters, al-Muqata‘a, in the central West Bank city of Ramallah hit the front page headlines in Palestinian dailies.
The dailies said President Mahmoud Abbas was unanimously re-elected as chairman of the Fatah party at the opening of the conference.
Al-Quds said Fatah’s seventh general conference was convened under the theme “the embodiment of the state and national independence.”
Abbas was reported in al-Quds as stating the conference would mark a step forward towards the attainment of Palestinian national goals, while he was reported in al-Ayyam as describing the conference as being focused on liberation and national unity.
He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida as pledging Fatah would remain at the forefront of Palestinian struggle for liberation, independence and independent statehood.
It also reported the conference spokesperson Mahmoud Abu al-Haija as confirming that there was a quorum as the opening of the conference, which was attended by a total of 1,322 Fatah members.
Furthermore, al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal had a statement during the conference.
Al-Quds reported him as stating Hamas is ready for all the requirements of partnership with Fatah and all other Palestinian parties. It is worth noting that the statement was delivered by lawmaker Ahmad al-Hajj on behalf of Mashaal.
Highlighting Palestinian home demolitions, al-Quds and al-Ayyam said Israeli forces demolished two Palestinian residential structures and a barn in the East Jerusalem neighborhoods of Jabal al-Mukabbir and Silwan.
The dailies said Israeli forces delivered notices to Palestinian families in the northern Jordan Valley locality of al-Ras al-Ahmar ordering them in to leave their homes to make room for military drills.
Moreover, al-Quds said the government of the Netherlands offered about €3 million in financial support for the UN agency responsible for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
The dailies said the Israeli parliament, Knesset, is scheduled to vote Wednesday on the so-called “Formalization bill” that would retroactively legalize 55 illegal settlement outposts and confiscation of over than 8,000 dunums of land in the West Bank.
It is worth recalling in this regard that all Israel settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank are illegal under international law.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida added the Knesset is also slated to vote on the bill that would ban the Muslim call of prayer, adhan, from playing over loudspeakers.
Highlighting an article published by former US President Jimmy Carter in New York Times, al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Carter as urging outgoing US President Barack Obama to recognize Palestine as a state.
Finally, al-Hayat al-Jadida reported since its formation, the Palestinian government has spent a total of $4.2 billion on the Gaza Strip.
K.F/M.N
