RAMALLAH, March 16, 2017 (WAFA) –The 74-page report released by senior United Nations human rights experts confirming Israel is implementing policies that constitute an apartheid regime hit the front page headlines in local Palestinian dailies.
The dailies quoted the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) concluding: “Israel has established an apartheid regime that dominates the Palestinian people as a whole.”
The dailies also reported Israeli forces shot and critically injured a Palestinian teenage girl following an alleged car-ramming attempt at a junction near the Israeli settlement bloc of Gush Etzion near Bethlehem.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida added the girl, identified as Fatima Taqatqa, 16, in fact lost control at the junction.
Al-Quds spotlighted US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Saudi Defense Minister and Deputy Crown Price Mohammed bin Salman in the White House in its main news article.
It reported Trump stating he has a “strong desire” to achieve a comprehensive solution to the “Palestinian-Israeli conflict”.
It published a report concluding Trump’s administration may succeed in resuming Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.
In this regard, the dailies said Trump’s special envoy Jason Greenblatt proceeded with his “fact-finding mission”, holding meetings with Palestinian and Israeli officials.
In its main news item, al-Ayyam said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to rein in settlement construction and seeks Washington’s approval for unfettered construction.
Moreover, al-Quds reported Palestinian Ambassador to France Salman Al-Herfi stating a second peace conference in Paris would be held before the end of 2017.
It reported Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah pledging to continue to appeal before international forums and prosecute Israel for the suffering of Palestinian children in Israeli imprisonment.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said President Mahmoud Abbas separately met with Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano and former US Minister of Transportation Raymond Lahood in Ramallah.
A-Ayyam reported Israeli forces detained a total of 39 Palestinians during large-scale overnight raids across the West Bank.
It added besides to the teenage girl critically shot at the Gush Etzion junction, Israeli forces shot and injured six Palestinians across the West Bank.
It said Israeli occupation authorities ordered a halt on the construction of two Palestinian homes in the town of al-Khader, south of Bethlehem.
K.F.
