RAMALLAH, June 15, 2017 (WAFA) – Palestinian denial of reports that the Palestinian Authority (PA) plans to stop payments allocated to the families of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and the Gaza electricity crisis hit the front page headlines in local Palestinian dailies on Thursday.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported Palestinian officials denying the PA has changed its policy of paying allowances to families of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and those who were killed or injured by Israeli forces.

Al-Quds reported analysts saying Palestinians killed by Israeli forces were mostly civilians and thousands of Palestinians in Israeli jails have not committed any killing.

It also reported US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has backtracked statements on PA funding of prisoners in Israeli jails.

The three dailies reported the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, approved a preliminary reading of a law that would see Israel deduct an estimated 1 billion shekels ($280 million) annually from the tax revenues it collects on behalf of the PA, equivalent to the allowances paid to the families of the prisoners.

The dailies also highlighted the catastrophe that would befall the besieged Gaza Strip following Israeli cabinet’s approval to reduce by 40 percent the electricity supply to the impoverished enclave.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported US State Department expressing concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported the United Nations (UN) Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian Territories Robert Piper warning longer power cuts threaten a “total collapse” of basic services in Gaza.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israel has called for the expulsion of Piper claiming he is biased against Israel due to his harsh criticism of Israeli occupation practices.

Al-Quds reported the Palestinian cabinet stating that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s diagnosis of the Gaza electricity crisis does not absolve him from responsibility.

The cabinet’s statement came in response to Netanyahu’s remarks in which he considered Gaza electricity crisis as an “internal Palestinian matter.”

Moreover, al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said the Israeli Supreme Court gave the public prosecution a week to justify its stance on withholding the bodies of Palestinians slain by Israeli forces.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israeli forces shot and injured at least four Palestinians during an overnight raid that sparked clashes in Duheisha refugee camp near Bethlehem in the southern West Bank.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida added Israeli forces detained a number of Palestinians during multiple raids across the West Bank.

Furthermore, al-Quds said Israel indicted a number of Palestinian young men in Jerusalem purportedly for belonging to alleged Hamas-affiliated “Al-Aqsa Youth” (Shabab al-Aqsa) group.

It also reported the PLO Department for Jerusalem Affairs warning that ongoing Israeli settlers’ attacks against Al-Aqsa Mosque compound portend dire consequences.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said deputy Hamas chief Mousa Abu Marzouq met with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut.

Al-Ayyam reported Fatah Central Committee member Azzam al-Ahmad affirming the Palestinian leadership and government would proceed with their steps aimed to end the division.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported human rights group Amnesty International calling for the release of Palestinian circus performer Muhammad Abu Sakha from Israeli detention.

K.F./M.K.