RAMALLAH, March 16, 2018 (WAFA) – The donor conference in Rome that offered new cash pledges to the United Nations agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, to keep it operating for a few more months hit the front page headlines in Palestinian dailies on Friday.

Al-Quds reported that the Rome-based conference successfully mobilized political support for UNRWA, but failed to close the funding gap.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that the conference drew promises from several countries of $100 million of funds in support of UNRWA’s programs.

Al-Ayyam added that the UN agency still requires more funds, ]to cover an estimated $446 million budget shortfall[.

Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, who attended the conference, was reported in al-Ayyam calling for additional funds for UNRWA pending a just solution to the issue of Palestinian refugees.

He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida stating that the donors’ financial pledges have sent a message of hope for millions of Palestinian refugees.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam printed a photo for Hamdallah shaking hands with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini on the sidelines of the conference.

Moreover, al-Quds reported well-informed sources revealing that the US and Israel have reached an agreement on launching a strike against Syria. It also reported them stating there were increasing indications that war was looming in the horizon.

Still, al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida spotlighted West Bank clashes and raids in their main front page news item.

They reported that Israeli forces clashes with Palestinians in East Jerusalem-district town of al-Eizariya and Ramallah-district village of Deir Nidham, causing scores to suffocate and injuring a number of others.

They added that hundreds of Israeli settlers forced their way into East Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and Sebastiya village, north of Nablus.

According to al-Ayyam, Israeli forces detained 21 Palestinians during multiple predawn raids across the West Bank. Al-Hayat al-Jadida noted forces detained 17 Palestinians in addition to Secretary-General of Fatah Party in Jerusalem.

According to al-Quds, the UK donated £28 million in support of the UNRWA.

It also reported that Palestinian refugees in camps across the occupied Palestinian territories (West Bank and besieged Gaza Strip) and Lebanon held protests against attempts to eliminate the UNRWA.

According to al-Quds, Palestinian national factions have called on Palestinians to hold “Friday of Rage” rallies marking 100 days since US President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Regarding the upcoming Palestinian National Council’s (PNC) session, scheduled on April 30, al-Quds reported Hamas senior official Mousa Abu Marzouk calling for the session to be cancelled and a comprehensive conference to be held instead.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported that Israeli occupation authorities crews surveyed and put markers in Bab al-Rahma cemetery, also known as the Golden Gate, in East Jerusalem.

According to al-Quds, this step was related to Israel’s plan to build a cable car over Jerusalem’s Old City.

Moreover, al-Quds reported Secretary-General of Fatah Revolutionary Council Majed al-Fatyani calling on Hamas to provide all the data it has with regards to the explosion that hit Hamdallah’s convoy shortly after it entered Gaza on Thursday.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported the Palestinian Interior Ministry denying reports that it has participated in the investigations of the attempted assassination.

Al-Quds reported the World Bank stating that sustainable recovery was not expected in the besieged Gaza Strip without freer trade.

Al-Ayyam said that Israeli occupation military shelled several borderline locations to the east of Gaza city in response to four purported explosions near the border fence.

Finally, al-Hayat al-Jadida reported President Mahmoud Abbas stating that the health sector has witnessed recently a great leap during a meeting with Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom in Ramallah.

K.F.