RAMALLAH, February 15, 2017 (WAFA) – The demolition of Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli government plan to legalize settler structures on private Palestinian land since the passage of the land-grab law hit the front page headlines in Palestinian dailies on Wednesday.

The three papers said the Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem ordered the demolition of the homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya, which were still under construction, because the owners did not have a building permit.

Al-Ayyam highlighted a report by B’Tselem, the Israeli human rights group, which said the year 2016 witnessed a marked increase in Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem and Area C of the West Bank.

The dailies also reported about Israeli government plans to enforce the land-grab law, passed last week, to legalize a settlement outpost built on private Palestinian land east of Ramallah.

Al-Quds highlighted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington and said US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu would discuss the Palestinian issue, Iran and bilateral relations.

Al-Ayyam published a report saying Netanyahu is not concerned with relocating the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as much as with securing Washington’s support for settlement construction.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida added in this regard Palestinian cabinet warned against the fabrications that would be promoted by Netanyahu during the meeting in Washington.

Both dailies also reported Israeli forces torched a Palestinian home during military drills in Deir Razih village, southwest of Hebron.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said Israeli occupation authorities extended the closure of the Orient House, the Palestine Liberation Organization’s base in occupied East Jerusalem, for another six months.

Al-Quds said Israel Electric Corporation threatened to disconnect electricity supplied to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Al-Ayyam reported 12 Palestinian workers were rescued after being trapped in a tunnel on Egypt-Gaza borders after it had collapse.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida said the Foreign Ministry called for sanctions to be imposed on Israeli banks for funding settlement construction in the West Bank.

K.F./M.K.