RAMALLAH, November 25, 2017 (WAFA) – The massacre at the mosque in the Sinai that left 235 people dead was the highlight of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies on Saturday.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted the massacre on black background in a headline that went across the front page. Al-Quds had also reported it across the front page. All three dailies included pictures of the attack.
The papers also highlighted the strong Palestinian, Arab and international condemnation, particularly statements from President Mahmoud Abbas in which he said, after sending condolences to his Egyptian counterpart Abdul Fattah Sisi, that “the crimes of the terrorists will not lessen Egypt’s determination to fighting terrorism,” as came in al-Hayat al-Jadida headline.
Al-Ayyam and al-Quds said that as a result of the attack, Egypt decided to postpone opening of the Rafah crossing with Gaza, which was supposed to open for three days starting Saturday.
In other news covered by the dailies, al-Quds quoted Arab member of the Israeli parliament, Ahmad Tibi, saying that Israeli plans to demolish residential buildings in the Jerusalem airport area is “purely political.” Israel claimed it wanted to demolish six Palestinian buildings constructed near the apartheid wall to widen streets near the infamous Qalandia checkpoint to ease Palestinian traffic.
Al-Ayyam said the European Union missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah have called on Israel to stop demolition of Palestinian homes and property.
In similar Israeli measures against Palestinians in the occupied territories, the papers said Israeli settlers have taken over Palestinian land in the occupied Jordan Valley and were working on this land without any army intervention to stop them.
They also said the Israeli High Court rejected an appeal by Palestinian residents of the northern Jordan Valley to allow them to return to their confiscated lands.
Al-Quds said Israel plans to build 97 new housing units in the illegal settlement of Pisgat Zeev built in occupied East Jerusalem.
It also said that the Israeli military delivered demolition orders against Palestinian homes in Masafer Yatta in the southern West Bank.
The papers also said that the Israeli army attacked with full force peaceful Palestinian protests against land seizure, the settlements and the apartheid wall. The protests are part of a weekly activity by Palestinians in various areas of the West Bank mostly affected by these Israeli policies.
Al-Quds said a 26-year-old German was shot in the back by a rubber-coated metal bullet in Bil’in during protest to remove the fence built on village land that separates residents from their land.
Al-Quds also said the Arab Orthodox community in Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour is acting to stop sale of church property to Israeli settler groups.
The paper also said that Hamas official in Gaza Ahmad Bahr stated three conditions to empower the Palestinian government in Gaza and these include ending the siege on Gaza, ending security coordination with Israel and paying salaries of employees hired during Hamas rule in Gaza.
The three papers also said that the presidency denied reports that it was going to probe chief religious justice Mahmoud Habbash for allegation of sending money abroad as posted on social media.
M.K.
