RAMALLAH, September 12, 2017 (WAFA) –Israel’s demolition of a section of a Muslim cemetery outside Jerusalem’s Old City wall, Jewish fanatics taking provocative visits of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem as well as Israeli military closing off large areas in Masafer Yatta in the south of the West Bank were the highlight of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies.
The papers said the Israeli authorities demolished part of a cemetery in East Jerusalem where 400 people killed during the 1967 war were buried.
Al-Quds said in addition to these measures in Jerusalem, Israeli forces and setters closed off a large area in Masafer Yatta apparently in preparation to build or expand illegal settlements.
Settlers also attacked an elementary school in Jib al-Deeb in the Bethlehem area but were stopped by local residents, said al-Quds.
Al-Ayyam said the Society of St. Yves, a law and human rights office, succeeded in getting an Israeli High Court order halting military plans to demolish Jib al-Deeb elementary school, already demolished at the end of August with the start of the new school year under the pretext of being built without a permit and was rebuilt this week by local activists.
The paper also said that the Israeli authorities seceded three villages from the Ramallah governorate and placed them under the authority of Jerusalem governorate, describing this move as “dangerous precedent.”
The three villages, Beit Liqya, Kharbatha and Beit Sira, are located to the west of Ramallah and were always considered within the Ramallah district. Heads of these villages expressed concern regarding the Israeli intentions behind this step, according to the newspaper.
The main front page headline in al-Hayat al-Jadida focused on President Mahmoud Abbas and his statement to activists from the anti-wall committee that popular resistance embarrasses the occupation and exposes “its ugly face to the world.”
The paper also quoted in a different story Fatah Central Committee member Azzam al-Ahmad saying that contacts are continuing to hold a meeting for the Palestinian National Council, the Palestinian parliament in exile.
It also quoted member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Executive Committee Ahmad Majdalani saying solving the Palestinian issue would pull the rug from under violent and terrorist groups.
The paper said in a large headline that “Palestinian diplomacy succeeded in postponing the Africa-Israel conference.”
Al-Quds quoted UNICEF saying that the Gaza electricity crisis reduced chances of getting water by 30 percent.
It also said Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh expressed readiness to hold a dialogue with Fatah in Cairo.
The paper said, quoting diplomatic sources, that there are plans for Palestine to get full membership in the United Nations based on resolution 377, dubbed “Uniting for Peace.”
Al-Ayyam said 18 Egyptian soldiers were killed in the Sinai in a terrorist attack and that President Abbas has sent his condolences to his Egyptian counterpart.
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