RAMALLAH, March 15, 2018 (WAFA) – The attack on the convoy of Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah on Tuesday continued to occupy front page headlines in the three Palestinian Arabic dailies on Thursday.
Al-Ayyam said in its main front page story that two bombs were actually supposed to blow up when the prime minister’s convoy passed but that the second one did not explode. It also quoted an interior ministry official saying that the attack was prepared by professionals and that it was not an individual attack.
Al-Quds also said a technical reason prevented the second bomb from exploding, while al-Hayat al-Jadida quoted Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad saying they hold those who control Gaza, meaning Hamas, responsible for the attack.
The papers also continued to publish local, Arab and international condemnation of what has been termed assassination attempt against the prime minister and the chief of intelligence Majid Faraj, who was also in the convoy.
The main front page story in al-Quds quoted “informed” sources telling it the approach by US President Donald Trump after dismissing his secretary of state is more hawkish and a threat to world peace.
It also said in the kicker of the same story that Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, wrote the so-called “deal of the century” in cooperation with the World Zionist Organization and Arab officials.
The paper also quoted chief Palestinian negotiator and Palestine Liberation Organization official Saeb Erekat saying that the White House meeting on Gaza aimed at destroying the Palestinian national project.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida made the meeting between President Mahmoud Abbas and a Palestinian who had served 20 years in Israeli jails for resisting the occupation its main front page story. It quoted Abbas saying that the prisoners’ issue is a priority for him.
Al-Ayyam reported on the same subject and quoted Abbas saying that the leadership seeks to free all prisoners and detainees from Israeli jails.
In other news, al-Ayyam and al-Quds reported on Israeli seizure of land, demolition of structures and chopping of olive trees in various areas of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
They said that preparations are underway to mark Land Day at the end of March with protests and days of rage in Gaza, the West Bank and inside Israel.
Al-Ayyam said the French foreign minister is expected to visit Palestine at the end of this month to discuss Abbas’ peace vision.
The papers also said the UN humanitarian organization, OCHA, and the Palestinian Authority have launched a campaign to collect over $500 million for humanitarian matters during this year.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said the Rome conference on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) will launch today and UNRWA hopes it will succeed in collecting funds for its programs.
The paper said Le Trio Joubran is cooperating with world singer Roger Waters to launch a musical piece against Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel.
M.K.
