RAMALLAH, February 28, 2018 (WAFA) – News about church leaders in Jerusalem making the decision to reopen the door to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher hit the front page of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies on Wednesday.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida, al-Ayyam and al-Quds reported that church leaders decided on Tuesday to reopen the door to the Holy Sepulcher at 4:00 am Wednesday after Israel suspended a decision to tax the churches.

The dailies said that President Mahmoud Abbas met with Qatari Ambassador Mohammad al-Emadi in the presidential headquarters in Ramallah during which he reaffirmed continuation of efforts to end the division and achieve national unity.

The papers also said that Abbas talked over the phone with King Abdullah II of Jordan and discussed the latest developments.

A statement by Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for President Abbas, was reported in the three newspapers. He said that what is required is to cancel all the Israeli measures against holy places, not just suspending them.

The three papers said that the Palestinian cabinet Tuesday approved a record $5 billion budget for 2018, saying that the budget will increase to $5.8 billion if reunification with Gaza goes as planned and the government takes over charge of the coastal enclave from Hamas.

Extremist Jewish organizations have called for breaking into al-Aqsa mosque during the Jewish holiday, Purim, according to the three dailies.

According to the three newspapers, the Tamimi family said that the facial injury of Mohammad Tamimi, cousin of Ahed Tamimi, was caused by the Israeli army and the statements of Yoav Mordechai, head of the so-called Israeli civil administration that Tamimi was injured because he fell off a bike were lies.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that the European Union and UNRWA reaffirmed their commitment to help Palestinian refugees.

The cabinet also decided to declare March 8, International Women’s Day, a holiday in Palestine.

K.T./M.K.