RAMALLAH, September 22, 2017 (WAFA) – Palestinian official reactions to President Mahmoud Abbas’ speech during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly session on Wednesday night in New York dominated the front page headlines in Palestinian dailies.
Al-Quds reported the Palestinian people and political factions unanimously supported Abbas following his speech.
It reported member of Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) Executive Committee Hanan Ashrawi stating Abbas delivered a comprehensive speech affirming that the Palestinian people cling to all forms of legitimate resistance ]to the Israeli occupation[.
It also reported member of PLO Executive Committee Ahmad Majdalani stating Abbas’ speech placed the world before its responsibilities and provided a basis for an action plan for the upcoming stage.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Palestinian political forces and figures commended Abbas for his speech.
It also reported them saying Abbas’ speech serves as a basis for a Palestinian political and diplomatic action plan for the upcoming stage.
On the other hand, al-Ayyam opted to highlight official Egyptian efforts to restore Palestinian national unity.
It reported an Egyptian delegation was anticipated to arrive to the besieged Gaza Strip to follow-up on the implementation of the provisions of the understandings reached between Fatah and Hamas movements to end the intra-Palestinian division.
It reported Majdalani stating there were four main issues that would put to test the seriousness of efforts to achieve Palestinian national reconciliation.
Furthermore, al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israel has appeared on the United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) blacklist of states punishing human rights activists.
The dailies said Palestinian Muslim worshippers celebrated the Muslim New Year in East Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque in the West Bank.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported Al-Aqsa Mosque Mufti Sheikh Muhammad Hasanin affirming non-Muslims do not have any right to the holy site.
Al-Quds highlighted the participation of Chairman of the Prisoner’s Affairs Issa Qaraqe‘ in a seminar on Israeli occupation authorities’ violations of the rights of Palestinians in Israeli imprisonment in Geneva.
It reported Qaraqe‘ stating the human rights violations committed by the Israeli occupation pose a threat to international peace and security.
He also slammed the deportation of Palestinian activist Rasmea Odeh from Chicago to Jordan following a federal court’s ruling as an evidence that Israel keeps pursuing Palestinian former prisoners.
Al-Ayyam said the Israeli occupation authorities approved a plan to build a tunnel network with the purpose of consolidating settlement construction in East Jerusalem.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida spotlighted the speech delivered by Lebanese President Michel Aoun at the UN General Assembly.
Aoun was reported in al-Ayyam warning that disrupting the UN agency of Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) was a step intended to impose the resettlement of refugees on Lebanon and other countries.
He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida stating the crime of expelling the Palestinians from their homeland in 1948 could not be rectified through denying them their right to return.
Both dailies said St. Stephen Church in Beit Gemal, west of Jerusalem, was desecrated vandals.
K.F.
