RAMALLAH, January 12, 2017 (WAFA) – The demolition of Palestinian homes by Israeli bulldozers in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabal al-Mukabbir hit the front page headlines in Palestinian dailies.

The dailies said Israeli occupation forces demolished eight Palestinian homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabal al-Mukabbir. Al-Ayyam added bulldozers also demolished commercial stores in the same neighborhood.

Not only did al-Ayyam cover the home demolitions in its main news item, but it also covered Israeli plans to establish a new settlement in the same neighborhood.

Al-Ayyam and al-Quds said Israeli occupation authorities have approved a plan for the construction of 2,500 new settler units on the remains of the soon-to-be demolished family home of Fadi al-Qunbar and a large surrounding area in the neighborhood.

The plan reportedly came as part of extreme Israeli punitive measures against the al-Qunbar family.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Palestinian Foreign Ministry as stating in this regard it is going to take the case of al-Qunbar family to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague.

Al-Quds added a total of 1,600 Palestinian home are threatened with demolition in the same neighborhood.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israeli forces delivered demolition notices for three Palestinian homes in the Jerusalem district village of Hizma.

While al-Ayyam covered the demolitions and settlement construction plan in its main news item, al-Quds opted to highlight the meeting of the Preparatory Committee of the Palestinian National Council (PNC) in Beirut.

Al-Quds and the other two dailies said members of the committee agreed to convene the PNC whose members would be elected or nominated through consensus.

They noted PNC would include representatives from all Palestinians factions.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam added the committee called on President Mahmoud Abbas to initiate consultations on the formation of a national consensus government.

In contrast, al-Hayat al-Jadida covered President Mahmoud Abbas’ upcoming visit to Paris in its main front page news article.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida and al-Ayyam said France said Abbas is welcome to attend the international Middle East peace conference in Paris on Sunday January 15.

Abbas was also reported in al-Ayyam as planning to visit some European states, including Italy, the Vatican and France.

Highlighting Israeli raids across the West Bank, al-Quds said Israeli police raided the East Jerusalem refugee camp of Shufat, triggering clashes with local Palestinians.

Al-Ayyam said Israeli police detained 13 Palestinians, including three merchants, during the raid into Shufat.

Al-Quds added Israeli troops raided the Bethlehem district refugee camp of Aida and Hebron district town of Beit Ummar, shooting and injuring a number of locals during clashes.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida added about 40 Palestinians were detained during overnight raids across the West Bank.

Furthermore, the dailies said Palestinian citizens of Israel launched a general strike in Arab towns across Israel in protest of the demolition of 10 homes in the central Israeli city of Qalansawe.

It is worth noting in this regard Israeli bulldozers demolished the homes for being built without licenses as Israeli authorities reportedly have rejected attempts by the Qalansawe municipality to legalize a master plan for the city for the past 20 years.

Al-Ayyam said Israeli bulldozers leveled a donor-funded main road connecting Palestinian towns and villages to the northeast of Yatta town in the southern Hebron hills.

Al-Ayyam and al-Quds spotlighted Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Adnan al-Husseini’s  remarks on the US President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Al-Ayyam reported al-Husseini as stating: “Moving the US embassy to Jerusalem is a critical issue for the Palestinian people’s existence and rights and would put as back to square one.”

Finally, al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported Israeli military as claiming that Hamas hacked dozens of Israeli soldiers phones in honey trap scam.

K.F.