RAMALLAH, February 17, 2018 (WAFA) – The three Palestinian Arabic dailies highlighted on the front page of their Saturday issue the protests that raged in the occupied Palestinian territories against Israeli practices and the decision in December by US President Donald Trump recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, as well as Israel’s release of two corpses of Palestinians its forces had killed and had held.
The three papers said dozens of Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip marking week 11 for the US decision on Jerusalem. The papers printed pictures of the protests and confrontations.
They also said that Israel released the corpses of two Palestinians it had held for weeks and turned them over to their families for burial in their hometowns. The corpses belong to Nimr al-Jamal, from Beit Surik near Jerusalem and Hamza Zamareh, from Halhoul.
Nimr was shot dead on September 26 in an attack against Israelis. His family home was later demolished. Zamareh was shot dead by an Israeli guard outside an illegal settlement near Halhoul two weeks ago.
Al-Quds said residents of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiyeh protested against Israeli measures targeting them, including closure of roads and detention of dozens of young people as well as harassment of students and schools in the neighborhood.
The paper also said in another story that the Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem rushed the construction of a fence and gate at al-Walajeh area in Beit Jala bordering Jerusalem and which the municipality is seeking to annex. It said normally the police would be responsible for such a measure but the municipality went ahead and built it at its own expense in a very short time. It Palestinian resident of al-Walajeh will not be able now to reach their lands and farms.
Al-Quds also said a ranking Hamas delegation is continuing talks on Cairo on the reconciliation with Fatah and the Palestinian Authority following reports that the reconciliation was not going well.
It also quoted Hamas official Khalil al-Hayyeh saying that the Gaza Strip will never be a ground for anti-Egypt activities.
The three papers said President Mahmoud Abbas is going to address the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to talk about the latest regarding the Palestinian question in light of the US decision on Jerusalem, which the Palestinians said has recused the US from playing a role in the peace process. Abbas is going to ask for an international, multilateral forum to resolve the 50-year-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Al-Ayyam quoted Foreign Minister Riyad Malki saying that the three-member American peace team has intentionally distorted the position of the Palestinian leadership regarding negotiations.
Al-Quds quoted a US State Department spokeswoman telling its correspondent that Washington would like to see Abbas return to the negotiating table with Israel.
Al-Ayyam said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is going to meet Trump at the White House early next month.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said French activists prevented a pro-Israel festival from being held in a northern French city.
It reported on art work near the apartheid wall in Bethlehem, while al-Ayyam reported on an art work by an Irish artist on Ahed Tamimi describing her as the real Wonder Woman.
The papers also reported on the bribery scandal facing Netanyahu and the protest in Tel Aviv calling on him to resign.
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