RAMALLAH, August 18, 2018 (WAFA) – The Friday protests on the borders between the besieged Gaza Strip and Israel that left two people shot dead by Israeli soldiers and the Israeli police closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem for Muslim worship were highlighted on the front page of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies on Saturday.
The papers said Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence with Gaza shot and killed two Palestinian men and injured over 270 others who were protesting the 12-year-old Israeli blockade and demanding the right to return to their homes they were forced out from in 1948 in what became to be known as Israel.
They also highlighted Israeli closure of the Muslim holy site, Al-Aqsa Mosque, in Jerusalem’s Old City following an alleged stabbing attack inside the Old City that left the alleged attacker dead.
The papers said Muslim worshipper held the evening and night prayers outside the walled compound in protest against Israeli closure of their holy site only days before Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Adha holiday, which coincides with the Hajj season to Mecca.
In other news, the papers also reported on the outcome of the meetings of the Palestinian Central Council, which concluded three days of meetings in Ramallah late Friday.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida, mouthpiece of the Palestinian Authority, quoted the Central Council stressing Palestinian rejection of the so-called Deal of the Century and “to fight and defeat it with all possible means.”
The Council also stressed in its final communique that calm and truce with Israel is the responsibility of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and not the factions.
The dailies highlighted the talks taking place in Egypt to bring calm and reach a truce agreement between Gaza and Israel following weeks of tension and cross border attacks.
Al-Quds said, quoting sources, that Egyptian intelligence chiefs are going to meet on Saturday in Cairo with all Palestinian factions except President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement.
Al-Ayyam also quoted news agencies saying that the final touches on a truce agreement between Hamas and Israel are being drawn.
It said in a report by its Gaza correspondent that progress in truce talks did not affect the border protests and Israeli army killing of Palestinians.
The paper quoted Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq, saying that the reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas will continue after Eid al-Adha holiday.
Al-Quds said the US ambassador to Israeli, David Friedman, an orthodox Jew and a known supporter of Israel and its occupation of the West Bank, told Jewish settlers he met with that there is no need to remove any of the illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied territories.
The paper said in a report by its Jerusalem correspondent that Israeli settlement roads have surrounded the East Jerusalem Palestinian neighborhood of Beit Safafa, south of the city.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Jewish settlers cut down 200 olive trees in the West Bank and set a tractor on fire.
It said Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza will be closed for the duration of Eid Al-Adha, that is from Monday until Saturday.
M.K.
