RAMALLAH, March 29, 2018 (WAFA) – The threat by the US ambassador to Israel David Freidman against President Mahmoud Abbas and preparations for the Great March of Return planned for Friday in Gaza were highlighted on the front page of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies on Thursday.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida made the statement by Freidman in which he said that if Abbas does not return to negotiations with Israel, the US is going to find someone else who would as its main front page story. The headline that went across the front page said: “US threat and Israeli attack against President Abbas; Freidman: we will find someone else, Lieberman: Abu Mazen supports ‘terrorism’.”
Al-Ayyam said the Israeli army has deployed snipers along its borders with Gaza and gave orders to shoot at the participants in the March of Return, which is set to launch in Gaza and head toward the borders with historic Palestine marking Land Day, which coincides on Friday, and continues until May 15, the Nakba, or catastrophe, day.
Al-Quds reported as well on this subject in its top front page story, adding to it reports about Israeli arrests and demolitions in various West Bank towns.
However, the main front page story in al-Quds highlighted the reports from Gaza regarding outcome of investigations by Hamas concerning the attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and his chief of intelligence Majid Faraj. It said the Gaza ministry of interior, which is run by Hamas, has exposed the cell that was responsible for the attack on Hamdallah’s convoy.
In other news, al-Quds said the foreign minister of Senegal and his delegation forced their way into Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City under Israeli police protection rather than coordinate their visit with the Muslim Waqf, the caretaker of the Muslim holy places in Jerusalem, which the Waqf considered a tasteless step by a Muslim official. It said the Senegalese delegation acted just as fanatic Jews do when they tour the Mosque.
At the same time, Waqf officials have called on Muslims to come to the Mosque on Friday, the day the Jewish fanatics are planning to carry out provocative steps to mark their Passover holiday by stepping on historic Muslim rights in Al-Aqsa.
Al-Quds said Palestinians have held protests demanding Israel release the bodies of dozens of Palestinians its forces have killed and had kept in unknown locations for months and years.
Al-Ayyam said Israel turned over the body of Yasin Saradeeh, 33, who was killed by Israeli soldiers in Jericho last month at point blank and his body has been held since then. Saradeeh will be buried on Thursday.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israeli soldiers have maltreated a three year old Palestinian child in Hebron alleging he threatened them with a metal.
Results of the population census announced on Wednesday were also highlighted on the front page of al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida. The papers said the number of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza has reached almost 4.8 million, and that those under 18 years of age make up 47% of the population.
M.K.
