RAMALLAH, December 21, 2017 (WAFA) – The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) extraordinary session to vote on a draft resolution calling for the US to withdraw its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital hit the front page headlines in Palestinian dailies on Thursday.

The dailies said US President Donald Trump has threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that vote in favor of the draft UN resolution at the UNGA session.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida slammed Trump’s decision as an act of “political thuggery” committed by an “ethically bankrupt state.”

Al-Ayyam added that US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Hailey, sent letters to UN member states threatening them against voting in favor of the motion.

Al-Quds added that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is making strenuous diplomatic efforts to mobilize the broadest international support for the draft resolution.

Foreign Minister Riyad Malki decried the US threat as an “intimidation” and said that he anticipated that UN member states would vote “intensively” in favor of the draft resolution.

According to al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida, the UNGA adopted a majority in favor of a resolution reaffirming the Palestinian people’s right to sovereignty over their natural resources.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam highlighted the visit of a Palestinian delegation to Moscow to lobby it for a more significant role in the peace process with Israel.

They said in this regard that the Palestinian delegation and Russian Foreign Ministry agreed to form a multilateral forum that will oversee the peace process in the future.

The dailies also spotlighted renewed Palestinian demonstrations against Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israeli forces quelled Palestinians who took to the streets on a “day of rage” across the occupied Palestinian territories, injuring scores of protestors.

Al-Quds added that a total of 103 Palestinians sustained injures during clashes with Israeli forces.

Al-Quds said that Israeli police detained several Fatah-affiliated members from East Jerusalem.

The dailies said that President Mahmoud Abbas briefed King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud on the latest developments and efforts to protect Jerusalem.

Al-Quds said that Israeli forces escorted hundreds of Israeli Jewish settlers to perform rituals at Joseph’s Tomb in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

According to al-Quds and al-Ayyam, Israeli occupation authorities have advanced a plan to construct three new settlements in the Jordan Valley.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam spotlighted Christmas press conference by the Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa.

They reported him calling for respecting the status quo in Jerusalem and affirming that any “unilateral decisions will not bring peace, but rather will distance it.”

Al-Quds reported that Palestinians demonstrated in front of the Israeli Magistrate Court in West Jerusalem protesting the desecration of Bab al-Rahmeh cemetery in East Jerusalem.

It also reported member of the PLO Executive Committee Hanan Ashrawi stating that Europe is required to implement its decisions and punish Israel.

It also reported Palestinian member of Israeli parliament Ahmad Tibi stating that US Vice President Mike Pence cancelled his visit to Israel after Abbas snubbed him.

According to al-Hayat al-Jadida, Israeli forces extended the detention of 17-year-old Palestinian teen Ahd Tamimi for five days and detained her 20-year-old cousin Nour Tamimi.

It added that as its Jerusalem correspondent Diala Jwehan and photojournalist Issam Rimawi covered West Bank clashes, they were shot and injured by Israeli forces.

K.F./M.K.