RAMALLAH, October 4, 2017 (WAFA) – The Palestinian National Consensus Government’s first session in three years in Gaza following success of Egyptian-mediated reconciliation efforts dominated the front page headlines in Palestinian Arabic dailies on Wednesday.

Al-Quds reported the government has started to assume its responsibilities in the besieged Gaza Strip.

It added the government has decided to postpone the issue of lifting the sanctions against Gaza to the upcoming Fatah-Hamas meetings in Cairo.

It also reported Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah urging an immediate lifting of the 10-year-long Israeli and Egyptian blockade on Gaza and affirming that all outstanding issues would be solved by consensus.

Hamdallah was also reported in al-Ayyam stating the government would take concrete steps to gradually solve all problems.

Besides, Hamas head Ismail Haniyeh was reported in al-Quds stating the page of intra-Palestinian division has been turned forever and the Palestinian people have no choice but to make reconciliation succeed.

He was also reported in al-Quds and al-Ayyam expressing Hamas’ readiness to jointly put a strategy in place in order to “manage the Palestinian resistance’s weapon and decision.”

On his turn, President Mahmoud Abbas was reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida stating that he gave instructions to address all obstacles to the implementation of the reconciliation agreement.

He was also reported pledging not to accept the establishment of a Palestinian state in Gaza or one that excludes Gaza and noting any future visit for him to the besieged coastal enclave would be based on measures on the ground.

He was also reported in al-Quds stating: “We want one authority, one weapon and one law” in Gaza and “whoever wins the upcoming elections would govern”.

Al-Quds published a report titled: Why has reconciliation became possible more than ever before?

It also reported a number of Egyptian journalists affirming that ending the intra-Palestinian division would open the prospects for reinvigorating the stalled peace process and unite efforts to end the Israeli occupation.

The dailies highlighted Israeli officials’ statements dismissing Palestinian reconciliation talks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was reported stating he could not accept a Palestinian reconciliation deal “at the expense of our existence”.

He also reportedly pledged to construct thousands of new settler units in the illegal West Bank settlement of Maale Adumim.

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennet was also reported demanding that Israel stop transferring tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority.

Highlighting West Bank raids, al-Quds said Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinians during clashes in Jerusalem’s Old City, Hebron-district town of Beit Ummar and Bethlehem.

It added Israeli forces detained eight Palestinians and seized weapons and cash during a raid into Hebron-district town of Idna.

Al-Ayyam said forces detained 17 Palestinians in multiple predawn raids across the West Bank. According to al-Hayat al-Jadida, detainees totaled 19.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said Israeli police have prohibited Palestinian Muslim children from playing in the courtyards surrounding East Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Israeli forces have notified the family of Nimr Jamal of the imminent demolition of its home in Beit Surik village, northwest of Jerusalem.

Jamal, 37-year-old father of four, was shot dead last week after he shot and killed an Israeli border police officer and two Israeli security guards at the neighboring Israeli settlement of Har Adar.

Al-Ayyam added the Israeli Supreme Court has approved the demolition of residential structures and displacement of 22 Palestinian Bedouin families in the northern Jordan Valley.

It added Israeli forces delivered a demolition notice for a Palestinian home and a stop-construction notice for another in al-Walajeh village, west of Bethlehem.

K.F./M.K.