RAMALLAH, September 11, 2017 (WAFA) – Israel’s decision to close a building on Al-Aqsa Mosque compound near the Old City’s Golden Gate hit the Monday front page headlines in the Palestinian Arabic dailies.

The dailies said Israeli police asked the Israeli Jerusalem Magistrate Court to permanently close the Golden Gate building, claiming it is linked to the Hamas movement.

On the other hand, al-Quds reported Israel has started Monday construction work on the new settlement of Amichai, which will be built on privately-owned Palestinian land near Nablus.

Israel has approved about $17 million for the new settlement under the pretext of housing some 300 settlers evicted from Amona, a settlement outpost that was demolished in February.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Israeli occupation authorities continue to expand El Matan settlement, located near the Salfit-district town of Deir Istiya.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israeli forces detained five Palestinians in predawn raids across the West Bank and opened fire at Palestinian farmers in the southern Gaza Strip.

The dailies said the Arab League has formed a committee to foil Israeli bid for a seat at the United Nations Security Council.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Secretary-General of Fatah Central Committee Jibril Rjoub announcing the PLO Executive Committee and Fatah Central Committee would convene on Tuesday.

He was also reported explaining the purpose of the meetings is to discuss the content of the speech to be delivered by President Mahmoud Abbas during the upcoming UN General Assembly (UNGA) session later this month.

Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour was reported in al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida saying a total of 16 draft resolutions regarding Palestine would be submitted to the UNGA.

Highlighting the findings of al-Quds International Institution’s report, al-Quds said Israeli military demolished 25 Palestinian structures in East Jerusalem during August 2017 and 116 others are threatened with demolition.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam covered the head of Hamas Ismail Haniya’s first visit to Cairo since his election with Al-Quds saying the Hamas delegation would discuss with Egyptian officials Palestinian reconciliation and a prisoners exchange deal with Israel.

The dailies also reported the Education Ministry and volunteers had rebuilt a school in the village of Jubbet al-Deeb in the southern West Bank district of Bethlehem after the school was dismantled by Israeli forces at the start of the new school year in late August.

Presidential political advisor Nabil Shaath was reported in al-Ayyam stating there would be no hope for real progress to salvage the stalled peace process without real US pressure on Israel.

Following Hurricane Harvey that struck Texas, al-Hayat al-Jadida said Abbas instructed PLO mission to the United States to offer all necessary help to the Palestinian community in the US.

K.F./M.K.