RAMALLAH, May 22, 2018 (WAFA) – Assurances on the health recovery of President Mahmoud Abbas and pressing the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Israeli war crimes probe hit the front page headlines in Palestinian Arabic dailies on Tuesday.

The dailies reported that Abbas had received phone calls enquiring about his health from the leaders of several Arab and Islamic countries.

Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) Executive Committee Saeb Erekat was reported in al-Ayyam pointing out that Abbas was in “good health” and would be discharged from the hospital within the next two days.

Erekat and Deputy Chairman of Fatah movement Mahmoud al-Aloul were reported in al-Quds stating that Abbas was “in good health” and “following up on his work while being hospitalized”.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida printed photos released by Abbas’ office showing him in bed reading a newspaper and walking unassisted through the corridor of the hospital in a blue dressing gown, flanked by a doctor, family and aides.

The dailies also reported that Foreign and Expatriates Minister Riyad al-Malki submitted a referral to the ICC over the construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Al-Quds said that human rights organizations have called for referring the case of Palestinians who die as a result of medical negligence in Israeli jails to the ICC.

Furthermore, al-Quds and al-Ayyam spotlighted leaks indicating what US President Donald Trump’s so-called “The Ultimate Deal” would entail for the Palestinians.

They explained that the so-called “Ultimate Deal” would entail the establishment of a Palestinian state with ed sovereignty across about half of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

They added that the deal, to be unveiled following the month of Ramadan, would also entail designating Abu Dis town, east of Jerusalem, as the capital of the future Palestinian state.

They also reported that the deal would also signal Trump’s plan to ignore the Palestinian refugees’ right of return and that both the Jordan Valley and the Old City of Jerusalem would remain under Israeli sovereignty and military control.

Moreover, the dailies reported that Paraguay has officially opened its Israeli embassy in Jerusalem, a move that was condemned by the Palestinian leadership and Arab countries.

The Palestinian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry was reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida slamming the embassy opening as a “violation of international law” and a “support to extremism and terrorism”.

The dailies also reported that Palestinian activists expelled a US Consulate delegation from Beit Jala town, south of Jerusalem.

Al-Quds reported that Chairman of the Qatari Committee for Gaza Reconstruction Mohammad al-Ammadi disclosed information on the nature of Qatari aid to the besieged Gaza Strip during Ramadan.

Al-Ayyam reported Fatah Spokesman Atef Abu Seif saying the role of the Higher National Commission for the Great March of Return was over and calling on factions to establish a substitute commission.

According to al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida, Israeli forces injured five Palestinians during a raid into Jenin city.

Israeli forces also reportedly ordered a Palestinian to evacuate his plot of land in al-Khader town, south of Bethlehem.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida added that Israeli occupation authorities resumed vandalism of the historic Bab al-Rahma Islamic cemetery, next to East Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Al-Quds highlighted Jerusalem Affairs Minister Adnan Husseini stating that the Israeli cabinet has approved a five-year-plan and an additional budget to consolidate “Jerusalem reunification”.

 Finally, al-Ayyam said that Lebanon’s Fairouz released a song honoring Jerusalem and victims of Israeli massacres in Gaza.

K.F.