RAMALLAH, Saturday, February 23, 2019 (WAFA) – The success of Muslim worshippers in Jerusalem in reopening the building next to Bab al-Rahma (Golden Gate) inside Al-Aqsa compound, the third holiest place in Islam, after Israel has ordered its closure since 2003 was highlighted on the front page of today’s issue of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies.

All the papers printed pictures of the thousands of Palestinian Muslims holding the Friday prayer inside the building which has been off to them at Israeli police order for 16 years.

They said in the headlines that went across the front page that the worshippers defied Israeli police orders and succeeded in reopening the build where they performed prayers for the first time since 2003.

The main headline in al-Quds said: “The will of our people won and the occupation retreats in Bab al-Rahma.”

Al-Hayat al-Jadida’s headline said: “The Palestinian Jerusalem – steadfastness and will make victory.”

In other news, the dailies also gave prominence to the Friday March of Return protests at the Gaza border fence with Israel in which one young Palestinian was shot dead by the Israeli army and over 40 were injured.

Al-Ayyam was the only papers to lead with this story and print a picture of the Gaza protesters waving the Palestinian flag and opposing an Israeli army jeep on the other side of the fence as smoke is seen filling the air.

Al-Ayyam also said Israeli settlers uprooted 600 trees in the south of the occupied West Bank, while Palestinian villagers in Beit Tamar, south of Bethlehem, confronted settlers who attacked their village.

It reported on the weekly Friday protests in the West Bank and said that many were injured in the Israeli army crackdown on these protests, particularly in the village of al-Mughayyer, north of Ramallah, where a number of Palestinians were injured from army gunfire as they performed Friday prayer on village land threatened with takeover by Israel to expand illegal settlements.

Al-Quds said the Israeli army attacked a large march in Hebron in the south of the West Bank commemorating 25 years for the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre when a Jewish terrorist shot dead 29 Palestinians while performing morning prayers.

It also said Israel is starting an unprecedented settlement campaign in occupied Jerusalem.

It said in a report from its Washington correspondent that members of the US Congress have assured the Israeli settlers that US President Donald Trump will not call in his so-called deal of the century for the evacuation of any settlement.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida said President Mahmoud Abbas is expected in the Egyptian sea resort of Sharm al-Sheik later today to take part in the Arab-European summit, which starts on Sunday.

Al-Ayyam quoted Fatah official Jibril Rjoub saying he hopes the Europeans will recognize the state of Palestine during their summit with the Arabs.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida quote Palestine’s ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, saying that Palestine, in its capacity as president of the Group of 77 and China, was leading extensive discussions to overcome differences within the group before the Buenos Aires conference.

It also said Japan contributed $23 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

M.K.