RAMALLAH, August 31, 2018 (WAFA) – Presidential Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh’s statement condemning the United States peace envoy Jason Greenblatt’s remarks threatening to find an alternative to the Palestinian Authority dominated the front page headlines in Palestinian Arabic dailies on Friday.

Abu Rudeineh was reported in the dailies stating that it is not the US who determines the destiny of the Palestinian people and leadership.

He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida stressing that there would be no alternatives to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

Highlighting suspected plans plotted against the national Palestinian cause under pretext of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, he was reported stating that those who agree to an alternative Palestinian leadership are certainly participating in a plot to liquidate the Palestinian cause.

Al-Quds reported that Greenblatt has threatened to find an alternative to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and called on the PA to “be part of the solution for the Palestinians of Gaza.”

It also reported Fatah holding both the US and Israel responsible for the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and the rest of Palestinians.

Additionally, al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida spotlighted a Foreign Policy’s report indicating that US President Donald Trump has decided to fully stop funding for the UN relief organization responsible for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

Al-Quds added in this regard that uncertainty surrounds Washington’s decision on halting funding to UNRWA.

Moreover, al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi’s remarks mobilizing support for UNRWA.

Safadi was reported stating that no country has the right to decide who a Palestinian refugee is.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl, who spoke during a press conference with Safadi, was reported in al-Ayyam stating: “One cannot wish 5.3 million Palestinian refugees away.”

He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida saying: “As long as a just a lasting solution has not found of the issue of Israel-Palestine conflict we will continue to implement the mandate that the General Assembly has given us.”

The dailies also reported that Israeli forces shot Minister Walid Assaf, who serves as the Chairman of the Commission against the Wall and Settlements, with a rubber-coated steel bullet in Ras Karkar village, northwest of Ramallah.

According to al-Quds, Israeli forces also shot and injured several other Palestinians as they cracked down on a protest against Israeli plans to seize the villagers lands.

It added that the Commission against Wall and Settlements has called on Palestinians to perform Friday midday prayers at Palestinian lands threatened with confiscation in Ras Karkar.

The dailies said that Israeli occupation authorities have opened a new gate in the wall of Jerusalem’s Old City, noting that it leads to the Christian Quarter.

They added that Israeli Jewish settlers have set up a new settlement outpost on Palestinian lands belonging to Qaryout village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

According to al-Ayyam, Israeli forces detained 26 Palestinians as they conducted multiple raids across the West Bank.

It added that the Israeli military ordered a Palestinian family to stop restoration works for their dilapidated house in Hebron’s Old Town.

Yet, al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida said that the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bakir Izetbegovic was briefed on Israeli violations during a meeting with a delegation of clerics in Ramallah.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted President Mahmoud Abbas’ meeting with Japanese envoy to the Middle East Masaharu Kono in Ramallah.

According to al-Hayat al-Jadida, Abbas stressed the importance of the Corridor for Peace and Prosperity Initiative, promoted by Japan in the Jordan Valley.

Hamas Chief Yahya Sinwar was reported in al-Ayyam saying that recent reconciliation talks in Egypt have reached a dead end and that Gaza blockade could be relieved within two months.

According to al-Ayyam, UNRWA Employees Union and UNRWA administration have reached an interim agreement on resolving the issue of employees threatened with dismissal.

Finally, Director-General of the PLO Refugees Affairs Department Ahmad Hanoun was reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida saying that the European Union is slated to announce the amount of its donations to UNRWA during September.

K.F.