RAMALLAH, July 27, 2017 (WAFA) – The Israeli decision to remove the police installations from the entrance to Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following nonviolent protests and spiraling unrest dominated the front page headlines in local Palestinian Arabic dailies on Thursday.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said Israeli occupation authorities removed railings and metal bridges where inspection cameras were planned to be mounted outside Lion’s Gate (Bab al-Asbat), which leads to the mosque compound.
Al-Quds said despite Israeli siege and measures restricting Palestinians’ access to Jerusalem’s Old City, tens of thousands of Palestinians performed prayer outside Lion’s Gate. Al-Ayyam explained thousands of Palestinians took to the streets to “celebrate their victory.”
Al-Quds added the Islamic Endowment (Waqf) officials issued an initial report revealing that Israel has made changes and encroached upon the situation around the mosque compound and its gates.
Providing further details about these changes and encroachments, al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israeli bulldozers removed stones that made the floor in front of the Lion’s Gate.
It added national and Islamic factions called for Palestinians to perform prayers in public squares across the occupied Palestinian territories and march towards the gates of the mosque compound on Friday.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said President Mahmoud Abbas and King of Jordan Abdullah II agreed to join forces and maintain consultations over the situation in East Jerusalem and the mosque compound.
Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed police to search all worshippers who enter the mosque compound.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida added Roman Catholic Emeritus Patriarch Michael Sabbah organized a rally for representatives of Jerusalem churches in protest of Israeli measures in front of the Lion’s Gate.
Furthermore, al-Quds reported the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, passed at the first reading a bill that would separate the Jerusalem district camp of Shufat and Kufr Aqab from Jerusalem’s municipality and create a local authority for them.
The dailies said the Knesset passes at the first reading the so-called “Unified Jerusalem” bill.
They added Israeli forces assaulted the Palestinian family Abu Rajab after Jewish settlers raided and took over their home, located in Hebron’s Old City near the Ibrahimi Mosque.
Al-Quds published an editorial for chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) Department of Jerusalem Affairs Ahmad Qurei titled Israel is playing with the fire of religious war in Jerusalem and jeopardizing Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said the European Union Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled to keep the Hamas movement on the EU’s terrorism blacklist.
Al-Quds reported the Hamas movement pledging it would continue to challenge unjust political decisions.
Al-Ayyam said thousands of Palestinian citizens of Israel attended the funeral procession of three teenage members of the Jabarin family after their corpses were released.
Following an appeal submitted by the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, Adalah the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that police should release the bodies of three teenagers, who carried out a deadly shooting attack that claimed the life of two Israeli policemen outside the mosque compound on July 14.
It added Israel issued new “blacklists” for banning activists who are involved in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
K.F./M.K.
