RAMALLAH, February 6, 2017 (WAFA) – The three Palestinian Arabic dailies focused in their Monday issue on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s request to postpone of a Knesset vote on the Legalization bill, which aims to legalize Israeli settlements in the West Bank and confiscate thousands of dunums owned by Palestinians.
The three dailies said Netanyahu has requested that a final vote on the bill be postponed, after it was initially scheduled for Monday. The request was made in order to carry out further consultations with US President Donald Trump.
The bill, also known as the regularization or formalization bill, would see thousands of dunums of privately owned Palestinian land seized and dozens of illegal settlement outposts across the West Bank retroactively recognized by the Israeli government. The bill would pave the way for Israel’s annexation of the majority of the West Bank.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida and al-Ayyam said another bill to ban the use of loudspeakers in mosques to call for prayer failed to garner a majority of votes in the Knesset.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted the funeral procession of a Palestinian killed by Israeli forces on January 25. It said Palestinians joined the funeral procession of Hussein Abu Ghush as Israeli occupation forces and settlers’ attacks against Palestinians across the West Bank continued unabated.
Abu Gush, 24, was laid to rest a day after his body was released by Israeli authorities after being withheld for 11 days.
He was killed by Israeli forces after he allegedly rammed his car at a bus-stop near Ramallah. No Israelis were injured.
On the other hand, al-Ayyam reported in its main front page news item that a US federal appeals court rejected a request ]by the US Department of Justice[ to immediately reinstate Trump’s travel ban. It described the rejection of the request as a “blow” to Trump.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to meet his French counterpart François Hollande in Paris in order to discuss the outcomes of the international peace conference.
Both dailies said Israeli settlers leveled Palestinian land in Bruqin village, west of Salfit, in order to expand the nearby settlement of Burchin.
They said the Israeli High Court of Justice decided to postpone the demolition of nine settler units in Ofra settlement near Ramallah in the central West Bank.
Al-Quds reported on Israeli human rights group B’Tselem saying an Israeli soldier shot and killed a Palestinian on December 22, 2016 despite posing no threat to the soldier. The Palestinian was identified as Ahmad Kharubi,19.
Al-Ayyam said local municipal elections, scheduled on May 13, are at stake as Hamas is expected not to allow them.
K.F/M.H
