RAMALLAH, March 20, 2017 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas’ meeting with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani hit the front pages of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies on Monday.
Al-Quds, al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that Abbas met with Emir of Qatar ahead of the Arab Summit and discussed the intra-Palestinian reconciliation efforts, in addition to the Palestinian-Qatari relations.
The three dailies also reported that Abbas is scheduled to meet with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo today. Al-Ayyam said that the Abbas-Sisi meeting will focus on coordination of positions between Palestine and Egypt ahead of the Arab Summit.
On a different subject, al-Ayyam and al-Quds said that Israeli police detained 18 activists in Jerusalem over participating in a WhatsApp group, a member of was a Palestinian killed by Israeli police for an alleged stabbing attempt.
They said Israeli forces also detained 15 Palestinians in the West Bank.
A statement by the Palestinian Government spokesperson Tareq Rishmawi was published in al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida. Rishmawi said that the removal of the report of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia committee regarding Israel’s racist policies encourages Israel to impose the apartheid regime upon the Palestinians in the occupied territories.
Al-Ayyam said that Israel condemned Abbas’ decision to reward Dr. Rima Khalaf the highest Palestinian medal for her bravery. Khalaf resigned from her post as UN ESCWA Executive Secretary upon removal of the report that accuses Israel of apartheid.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam highlighted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s consultants visit to Washington. They said that Netanyahu sent a delegation of his consultants to Washington to discuss settlement construction and expansion.
Netanyahu’s decision to delay the discussion of annexing Ma‘ale Adumim settlement to Israel was reported in al-Ayyam.
Israel’s warning of Syria over missiles fired at Israeli jets as reported in the three dailies. They said that Israel threatened to destroy Syrian Air Defenses in case Syrians use them against Israeli planes.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said that Lebanon’s Druz Leader Walid Joumblatt confirmed his son Taymour Joumblatt as his political heir. Joumblatt took off his Palestinian scarf and placed it on his son’s shoulders at a rally in the town of Moukhatara.
K.T/M.N
