RAMALLAH, January 4, 2018 (WAFA) – Palestinian officials’ response to US President Donald Trump’s threat to cut annual aid to the Palestinians hit the front page headlines in Palestinian Arabic dailies on Thursday.

Al-Ayyam reported that Palestine rejects Trump’s threats to cut financial aid to the Palestinians, while al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that Palestine refuses to succumb to US blackmail following Trump’s threats.

They also reported presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh stating that “Jerusalem is not for sale.”

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam also highlighted US threats to halt funding to the UN agency tasked with helping Palestinian refugees. UNRWA, to force Palestinians to the negotiating table with Israel.

Al-Quds reported that Abbas’ office and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) rejected US threats to cut funding to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and UNRWA.

Al-Ayyam added that the PLO has called for an emergency meeting for the UNRWA’s Advisory Committee.

The killing of a Palestinian teen by Israeli forces in the West Bank also dominated the front page headlines in the dailies.

They reported that Israeli forces killed 17-year-old Musab Tamimi in Deir Nitham village, northwest of Ramallah. Al-Quds added that Israeli military has closed the entrances to the village.

Al-Ayyam said that Israeli forces detained 21 Palestinians mostly in multiple predawn raids across the West Bank. According to al-Hayat al-Jadida, detainees totaled 22.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida added that Israeli forces delivered demolition orders for several Palestinian homes in Bethlehem-district town of Beit Fajjar.

The dailies reported that the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, has approved in the first reading a bill that calls for enforcing death penalty against Palestinians involved in the killing or injuring of Israelis.

Al-Ayyam added the Knesset has approved in preliminary reading a bill that would revoke the “permanent residency status” of Palestinians in East Jerusalem for “breach of trust” against Israel.

Hamas senior official Saleh al-Arouri was reported in al-Quds stating that reconciliation talks with Fatah has reached a standstill and pledging that Hamas would not backtrack on its decision to achieve reconciliation.

It added the Presidential Committee for Christian Affairs has met with Jordan’s Price Ghazi bin Muhammad.

According to al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida, a group of Israeli Jewish settlers performed a marriage ritual under the protection of police inside East Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Al-Quds reported Director-General of Islamic Endowments in Jerusalem Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib holding Israel responsible for ongoing settlers’ intrusions into the mosque compound.

The dailies said the Palestinian cabinet has agreed to restore 50 megawatt of electric power to the Gaza Strip and has asked Israel to resume supplying the besieged coastal enclave with power.

Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Abu Amr was reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida announcing that the administrative committee in charge of addressing the issue of Gaza public employees would set up an updated database on Gaza public servants hired after June 14, 2007.

The daily added head of Norway’s Representative Office to the PA saying that her country has not changed its policy on providing funds to Palestinian institutions.

K.F./M.K.