RAMALLAH, October 26, 2017 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation authorities’ plan to expand the largest settlement of Nof Zion in the heart of East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabal Mukabber dominated the front page headlines in Palestinian Arabic dailies on Thursday.
The dailies reported Israel has approved the construction of 176 new settler units in illegal settlement built on land for the Palestinian neighborhood of Jabal Mukabber, home to some 14,000 Palestinians.
The dailies added Israel has advanced a plan to annex illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank to Israel’s self-declared municipal boundaries for Jerusalem set after occupying East Jerusalem in 1967.
Israeli ministries are reportedly expected to vote on the s-called “Greater Jerusalem Bill,” which would see the inclusion of 19 illegal Israeli settlements under to the Israel’s municipal jurisdiction in Jerusalem.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam added Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to allocate approximately $ 230 million for the construction of settlement infrastructure and settler-only by-pass roads.
Palestinian president’s advisor Nabil Abu Rudeineh was reported in al-Ayyam denouncing Israel’s plan to construct 176 new settler units in Jabal Mukabber as a “new attempt to undermine the two-state solution.”
He was also reported in al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida calling on the US administration to promptly intervene to salvage its efforts regarding the moribund peace process.
The dailies spotlighted various steps regarding the implementation of the Egyptian-brokered reconciliation deal between Fatah and Hamas.
In this regard, al-Quds reported member of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s (DFLP) political bureau Ziad Jarghoun stating the Palestinian factions were set to discuss the formation of a new government during their upcoming meeting in Cairo on November 21.
It also reported senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouq stating the reconciliation decision was binding to all Hamas members although it was inconsistent with the convictions of some members.
He reportedly added Fatah and the Palestinian Authority officials were required to lift the sanctions imposed on the besieged Gaza Strip.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam added Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh briefed King Abdullah II of Jordan on reconciliation efforts.
Al-Quds said Israeli forces prevented Palestinian farmers from Jinsafut village, east of Qalqilya, from harvesting their olives.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam added Israeli police delivered a demolition order for a Palestinian home in East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabal Mukabber.
The dailies added Israeli Jewish lawmaker Yehuda Glick was allowed to break into East Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound to celebrate his son’s upcoming wedding.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida also reported Israeli Jewish settlers broke into a cemetery for Iraqi soldiers killed in the 1948 war south of the West Bank city of Jenin.
Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Israeli police prevented Palestinians from holding a conference in an East Jerusalem hotel on Islamic and Christian religious endowments in Jerusalem.
Moreover, al-Quds and al-Ayyam highlighted a new report on Israel’s systematic abuse of young Palestinians detained after attending protests in East Jerusalem.
The report was released by Israeli human rights groups B’Tselem and the Center for the Defence of the Individual (HaMoked).
Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida spotlighted UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s comments indicating that her country would celebrate “with pride” its role in the creation of Israel and the upcoming centennial anniversary of the infamous Balfour Declaration.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported a Fatah official slamming May’s comments as a “being biased to Israel.”
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said France has called on Israel to release Palestinian-French Salah Hammouri, a field researcher for prisoners’ rights group Addameer, who has been in Israeli detention since August 23.
Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah was quoted in al-Hayat al-Jadida stating: “Israel aims at undermining our potential and resources, marginalizing Palestinian productive base and obstructing the ability of our national economy to grow and develop.”
Hamdallah made these comments as he participated in the 17th annual olive picking festival in the Bethlehem-district town of Tuqu.
K.F./M.K.
