RAMALLAH, March 15, 2017 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas’ meeting with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Jason Greenblatt and their remarks hit the front page headlines in local Palestinian dailies.

Abbas was quoted in al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida stating: “Under President Trump’s leadership a historic peace is possible.”

He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida stating: “Our strategic choice is to achieve the two-state solution.”

Al-Ayyam said Abbas and Greenblat conducted “positive and deep” talks, adding that Washington is committed to work for “true and lasting negotiated peace.”

The dailies also reported presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh stating: “The meeting was positive and encouraging”.

Furthermore, al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah’s statements on the suppression of a demonstration by security forces in front of the Ramallah magistrate’s court.

Hamdallah was reported in al-Quds affirming that the cabinet would safeguard Palestinians’ freedom of speech and reject any violation of freedom of opinion.

He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida as stating: “Nobody is above the law.”

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida said Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem observed a general strike, protesting Israeli municipality’s measures against education, including imposing the spring holiday on Passover.

The dailies said Israeli bulldozers demolished a two-storey Palestinian-owned building under construction in the East Jerusalem town of al-Issawiya and two Palestinian-owned rooms in Silwan.  

They said Israeli occupation authorities allowed the Mapping Department of the Arab Studies Society to be reopened in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina and released the department’s director Khalil Tafakji.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israeli settlers started to assemble a new settlement outpost on Palestinian land, east of al-Mughayyir village, east of Ramallah.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israeli forces detained 17 Palestinians in overnight raids across the West Bank.

Al-Ayyam said forces shot and injured a Palestinian with a live round and caused several others to suffocate during clashes in Sabastiya town, north of Nablus.

It added Palestinian doctor Izzeldin Abuelaish demanding justice for the killing of his three daughters by Israeli shelling during the 2014 Israeli onslaught on Gaza.

It reported Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya stating the Hamas movement is committed to ceasefire and is not interested in any confrontation with Israel.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Palestinian and human rights factions slamming Hamas’ decision to form a committee in charge of “running the affairs” of the Gaza Strip as a “institutionalization of the Palestinian division”.

Al-Quds reported the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) announced it would boycott local municipal elections, scheduled on May 13 in the West Bank.

K.F.