RAMALLAH, May 20, 2017 (WAFA) – The three Palestinian Arabic dailies highlighted in their Saturday issue the ongoing hunger strike declared by hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails since April 17 and the protests that raged in the West Bank and Gaza in support of the prisoners, as well as the upcoming visit by US President Donald Trump to the region.
The main front page headline in al-Hayat al-Jadida said: “The Occupation is going after infants in their homes and prisoners in their cells.” It included a picture of the infant, Abdul Rahman Barghouti, suffering from inhaling tear gas fired by Israeli soldiers at his family home in the Ramallah area village of Aboud.
Al-Ayyam also tackled the pro-prisoners protests saying: “Dozens injured and arrested during crackdown by occupation forces at activities in support of prisoners.” The paper also printed pictures of the protests from Hebron and Nablus.
The three dailies reported on a meeting between President Mahmoud Abbas and the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer and said that Abbas asked Maurer to put pressure on Israel to accept the demands of the striking prisoners.
The meeting took place at the Dead Sea in Jordan where Abbas is going to attend the Middle East and North Africa World Economic Forum meetings.
Al-Quds also reported on the protests and the prisoners’ strike on its front page but its main story dealt with US President Donald Trump. The headline said: “Informed sources told al-Quds: Trump will ask Israel to present its map with its final borders.”
The paper said in a story from its Washington correspondent that the pro-Israel lobby is increasing pressure to move the US embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The three dailies quoted Trump saying that there is a good chance of reaching peace between the Palestinians and Israel.
Al-Quds said Palestinian shopkeepers in East Jerusalem have petitioned the Israeli High Court through the Association for Civil Rights demanding that Israeli police stop forcing them to shut down their shops whenever there is an attack in East Jerusalem.
It also said the Israeli military government’s so-called civil administration has decided to ease up entry of Palestinians to East Jerusalem during Ramadan, which starts next weekend.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Hamas has banned PLO Executive Committee member Zakaria al-Agha from leaving the Gaza Strip. Agha was about to leave Gaza to Jordan via the West Bank to attend a conference on refugees when Hamas told him he cannot leave.
It said in a different story that two Palestinian students won prizes at an Intel fair in Los Angeles.
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