RAMALLAH, September 3, 2018 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas’ remarks on the United Nations Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA, and contacts with the United States dominated the front page headlines in Palestinian Arabic dailies on Monday.

Abbas was reported in al-Quds and al-Ayyam stating: “Contacts with the US are severed since President Donald Trump’s decision declaring Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moving his country’s embassy to the city.”

He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida reiterating that “We have to reach peace whatever the challenges and difficulties are facing it” and that the Palestinian refugees’ issue has to be resolved in accordance with the international resolutions and Arab Peace Initiative.

Abbas reportedly made his remarks in a meeting with an Israeli delegation representing the Israeli Peace Now movement at his office in Ramallah.

Reactions to the US decision to stop all funding for UNRWA, which provides services to over five million Palestinian refugees in the occupied territories as well as Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, also hit the front page headlines.

Al-Quds reported in this regard that the US decision to stop all funding to UNRWA has sparked ongoing reactions on the local, Arab and international levels.

It added that a sit-in was staged outside UNRWA premises in Jordan’s capital, Amman, in protest of the US decision with participation of representatives from 12 Palestinian refugee camps.

Moreover, al-Quds and al-Ayyam reported UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krahenbuhl slamming the US decision to cut all funding to the Agency as politically motivated.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported UNRWA spokesman Sami Mushasha warning that the UN agency will run out of cash flow during September and will continue to suffer from financial deficit.

Also with regards to the US decision on UNRWA, al-Ayyam reported member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) Executive Committee Wassel Abu Yousef stating: “the US decision is aimed at eliminating the issue of Palestinian refugees and the right to return.”

It added that the Arab League will convene to discuss the implications of the US decision to cut all funding to UNRWA during the next week.

The dailies highlighted Arab and global condemnations of the US decision to cut all funding to the UN agency.

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi was reported in al-Ayyam stating that several states have stepped up their financial and political aid to UNRWA following the US decision.

British Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt was reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida reiterating his country’s commitment to support UNRWA and Palestinian refugees across the Middle East.

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil was reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida stating: “Helping UNRWA is the duty of all countries that agreed to the establishment of the state of Israel on Palestinian land and covered up the occupation of the territory and the displacement of its people.”

The dailies reflected on the US proposal calling for the creation of a Palestinian-Jordanian confederation.

They reported President Abbas’ spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh stating: “The idea of confederacy has been on the agenda of the Palestinian leadership since 1984 and has not changed.”

He was also reported in al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reiterating: “The two-state solution is the road to the special relationship with Jordan” and “the decision of confederacy is decided by the two peoples.”

Jordanian Minister for Media Affairs Jumana Ghunaimat was reported in al-Ayyam stressing that the idea of confederation between Jordan and the West Bank is not a matter that is open for discussion.

With regards to Israeli forces and settlers’ attacks, the dailies said that Israeli Jewish settlers forced their way into Awarta village, south of Nablus city.

According to al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida, settlers attacked a Palestinian vehicle travelling on a road near the illegal Yitzhar settlement, south of Nablus, injuring four Palestinians.

Al-Quds said that Israeli forces raided several towns across Bethlehem district, while al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said that forces delivered an order to uproot 70 olive trees belonging to a Palestinian farmer in the northern Jordan Valley.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said that Israeli forces broke up a protest near the marine barrier of the northern coast of Gaza, injuring several Palestinians with bullets and causing other to suffocate from tear gas.

According to al-Ayyam, Israeli troops detained four Palestinians purportedly for infiltrating the border fence with Israel to the east of Gaza.

Meanwhile, CEO of the Palestinian Industrial Estate and Free Zone Authority Ali Shaath was reported in al-Quds saying that a road linking the industrial zone in Jericho to Jordan is already under construction.

K.F./M.K.