RAMALLAH, April 8, 2017 (WAFA) – The US missile strike against an airfield in Syria and the subsequent Russian criticism that heightened tension between the two superpowers were the focus of the Saturday issue of the thee Palestinian Arabic dailies.
All papers gave prominence on their front page for the strike and Russia’s condemnation of the attack, describing it as an act of aggression.
Al-Ayyam, more so than the two other dailies, printed several stories related to the strike and its consequences.
Internationally as well, the papers said President Mahmoud Abbas has expressed support for Sweden following the truck ramming attack in Stockholm.
On the local level, the papers said the Israeli occupation authority has ordered a week-long closure on all the occupied Palestinian territories starting midnight Monday for the Jewish Passover holiday.
The papers also reported on the Israeli army crackdown on the weekly Palestinian anti-wall, anti-settlements marches in the West Bank that resulted in some injuries.
The papers also highlighted statement for Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah saying his government has started a year ago austerity measures that have even reached the security forces.
Hamdallah also justified the reasons Gaza civil servants had received a slashed salary this month, explaining the financial constraints facing his government was the main reason for the cuts, which only affected allowances but not the basic salary.
In the interview, the prime minister called on Hamas to turn over the ministries in Gaza to the Palestinian Authority and al-Ayyam printed a response from Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum saying his organization is ready to turn over these ministries to Hamdallah’s government if the latter shoulders its responsibilities toward the Gaza Strip.
Al-Quds said Minister of Health Jawad Awwad has taken action against a physician and a nurse at Beit Jala government hospital following the death of the child, Fadi Shatra, apparently due to negligence.
The paper said the Palestinian Bar Association has announced a general strike to improve the work status of its members.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Fatah prisoners in Israeli jails are going on with the declared hunger strike starting April 17, the Palestinian Prisoner Day.
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