RAMALLAH, March 20, 2018 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas’ speech at a Palestinian leadership gathering in Ramallah hit the front page headlines in Palestinian dailies on Tuesday.
Abbas was quoted in the three dailies stating: “I have decided to take national, legal and financial measures to protect our national project.”
He was also reported in the dailies accusing Hamas for the roadside bomb attack last week that targeted the convoy of Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and intelligence chief Majid Faraj in Gaza.
He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida saying Hamas have to give up control of the besieged Gaza Strip or risk taking full responsibility for the enclave and its two million residents.
Al-Quds said Hamas rejected the accusation of President Abbas and called for general elections.
According to al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida, Abbas received a phone call from his Egyptian counterpart Abdul-Fattah al-Sisi during which the two leaders discussed the latest developments and cabled his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin congratulating him for his re-election.
On the other hand, al-Quds reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on Tuesday in Washington to discuss several issues, including the Palestinian question.
It added in this regard that Egypt has advised the US to postpone announcing the so-called “deal of the century”, amend it and not to announce it during bin Salman’s visit to Washington.
Israeli forces and settlers’ assaults on Palestinians also dominated the front page headlines in the dailies.
The dailies said that Israeli bulldozers razed Palestinian farmlands in Jalud village, southeast of Nablus.
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said Israeli forces sealed the main entrance to al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya village, south of Nablus.
They added Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers in Turmus Ayya town, northeast of Ramallah.
They also reported that Israeli forces attacked a school in Tuqu‘ town, southeast of Bethlehem, showering it with tear gas canisters.
The dailies reported that Israeli troops stormed the family home of Abdul-Rahman Bani-Fadl in Aqraba village, south of Nablus, and took measurements in preparation to demolish it.
They also reported that settlers spray-painted racist graffiti on walls and vehicles and punctured the tires of many vehicles in Hizma village, northeast of Jerusalem.
According to al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida, Israeli occupation authorities initiated proceedings to revoke the residency status of 12 Palestinians from Jerusalem, three of them members in the Palestinian Legislative Council affiliated with Hamas and the fourth a former minister in the Hamas-led government. The others were accused to attacking and causing death of Israelis. The decision is related to a new law allowing the Israeli interior minister to revoke residency of Palestinian based on breach of loyalty to Israel.
Al-Ayyam said Israeli forces detained Islamic Jihad leader Sheikh Bassam al-Sa‘di from Jenin refugee camp on Monday evening.
It added a settlement group has petitioned the Israeli High Court to displace three Bedouin communities, south of Hebron.
Furthermore, Finance Minister Shukri Bishara was reported in al-Quds stating that the Palestinian financial situation would remain difficult unless they control their borders and natural resources.
Al-Quds said Israel is accusing a French consulate staff of smuggling weapons to Gaza.
K.F./M.K.
