RAMALLAH, October 11, 2017 (WAFA) – The first round of Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation talks to end the decade-old division between Fatah and Hamas dominated the front page headlines in Palestinian Arabic dailies on Wednesday.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that a positive atmosphere prevailed during the first round of reconciliation talks.

Al-Quds added Egypt has asked Hamas and Fatah delegations to provide specific responses to certain issues.

It reported member of Fatah Central Committee Azzam al-Ahmad saying the core issue of the talks was to enable the government to assume responsibility for running the besieged Gaza Strip and added Egypt has prepared a 22-item paper addressing all the details of the next phase.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida spotlighted a call to blacklist media outlets that incite against reconciliation.

The dailies also reported the National Consensus Government headed by Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah expressing its readiness to take up all of its duties in the besieged coastal enclave.

On the other hand, al-Ayyam opted to spotlight settlers’ attacks against Palestinians in its main front page news item.

It reported thousands of Israeli Jewish settlers stormed Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque, where they performed religious rituals.

The dailies added hundreds of settlers also forced their way into East Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Al-Quds described the rallies held by Israeli Jewish settlers purportedly to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot in Hebron and East Jerusalem as provocative.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida also reported settlers hurled stones at Palestinian-registered vehicles traveling near Nablus-district Huwwara road, causing damages to 12 vehicles.

It also reported the European Union (EU) has contributed €9.5 million to support Palestinian refugees.

Covering West Bank raids, al-Ayyam said Israeli forces detained 12 Palestinians in multiple predawn raids across the West Bank. According to al-Hayat al-Jadida, detainees only totaled eight.

Al-Ayyam added Israeli forces prevented Palestinians from playing the Muslim call to prayer over loudspeakers in al-Tawani area, located to the east of Yatta in Hebron district.

Al-Ayyam reported an Israeli official revealing Israel was set to approve the construction of 3,736 new settler units in the occupied West Bank.

K.F./M.K.