RAMALLAH, July 26, 2017 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas’ statement on the Israeli cabinet’s decision to remove the metal detectors at the entrances of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and replace them with advanced surveillance technology hit the front page headlines in  

Al-Quds reported Palestinian leadership called for the Palestinian public to step up protests and perform Friday prayer in squares to express rejection of the Israeli measures.

Abbas was reported in al-Ayyam slamming all Israeli occupation measures in the mosque compound.

He was also reported in al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida stating that unless things are back to where they were on before July 14, there would be no change in relations with Israel.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Palestinians organized a human chain around the mosque compound and the Palestinian leadership rejected “pseudo-solutions”.

Al-Quds also reported through their ongoing nonviolent protests in East Jerusalem, Palestinians compelled Israel to remove the metal detectors and affirmed their rejection of Israel’s decision to install smart cameras.

The dailies added Israeli police cracked down on Palestinian Muslims, known as Murabitun, who continued to perform prayers at public squares and roads leading to the mosque compound to express their rejection of Israeli measures, injuring dozens, including a girl, and detaining many others.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported Islamic leaders in Jerusalem have postponed a decision on whether to resume prayers inside the mosque compound or continue protests until the Islamic Endowment (Waqf) officials issues a report evaluating the situation in and around the mosque compound.

Highlighting the Palestinian cabinet’s meeting, al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida said the cabinet decided to immediately implement Abbas’ directives regarding supporting East Jerusalem.

It is worth noting the Palestinian Authority (PA) has allocated $25 million to support Palestinians in East Jerusalem.

The dailies also reported Israeli Jewish settlers raided a Palestinian home near the Ibrahimi Mosque in the southern West Bank city of Hebron in an attempt to take control of the building and nearby plot of land.

Al-Quds reported Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Riyad Mansour and UN Middle East envoy Nockolay Mladenov called on Israel to restore the longstanding status quo in East Jerusalem and the mosque compound.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida added thousands of Jordanians chanted “death to Israel” as they attended the funeral of Mohammad Jawawdeh, 17, who was killed by an Israeli embassy security guard in Amman.

Al-Ayyam reported the Israeli Supreme Court has ruled to release the bodies of three Palestinian citizens of Israel in 30 hours.

It is worth explaining the court ruled to accept an appeal submitted by the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (Adalah) that called for the immediate release of the bodies of three teenage members of the Jabarin family, who carried out a deadly shooting attack on two Israeli policemen inside the mosque compound on July 14.  

K.F.