RAMALLAH, Friday, June 21, 2019 (WAFA) – The latest spate of house demolitions in Jerusalem dominated the front page headlines in Friday’s issue of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies.

Al-Quds reported that Israeli occupation authorities delivered demolition notices for Palestinian houses in the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Silwan, al-Tur and Beit Hanina.

The three dailies highlighted Israel’s decision to demolish 100 Palestinian apartments in Wadi Hummus neighborhood, located on the edge of Sur Baher, in the southeast of Jerusalem.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida added in this regard that Palestinians plan to perform the Friday noon prayer at the site of the buildings slated for demolition in Sur Baher.

Al-Quds also reported Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Fadi Hidmi describing the latest demolition spat as “an attack that requires a strong stance”.

The Palestinian presidency’s remarks slamming the US-led economic workshop in Bahrain as a “strategic mistake” also hit the front page headlines.

The dailies reported presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh slamming the upcoming US-led economic workshop in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, as a “strategic mistake”

He was also reported elaborating that the upcoming workshop is aimed at the Arab normalization of relations with Israel before Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied territories.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida said that Palestinians rallied in the West Bank cities of Nablus and Bethlehem in rejection of the upcoming US-led workshop in Manama and the US-touted Mideast plan, dubbed deal of the century.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida added that Palestinian trade s voiced their support for President Mahmoud Abbas in rejection of the workshop and the deal.

According to al-Ayyam, Palestinian businessmen rebuff US President Donald Trump and affirm that “our case is political, 100 percent. It is not economic.”

Palestinian General Intelligence Chief Majed Faraj was reported in al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida arguing that the conspiracy of substituting the political solution to the Palestinian cause with an economic solution will never succeed.

Highlighting the situation in Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, al-Quds said that 133 Israeli settlers forced their way into the holy site as an Israeli court dismisses a settlers’ appeal to close Bab al-Rahma prayer area.

Al-Quds highlighted Xinhua news agency’s analysis Palestinian Authority faces worst financial crisis amid tension with Israel.

Additionally, the dailies reported the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) announcing that 41 percent of the total population in the State of Palestine – in reference to the occupied West Bank and besieged Gaza Strip- are refugees.

The dailies covered escalating regional tensions, including the shooting down of a US surveillance drone that entered Iran’s airspace.

Al-Ayyam said that Israeli forces conducted multiple raids across the west Bank, detaining 11 Palestinians.

It said that there is a growing sense of frustration and resentment among 48,000 impoverished Palestinian families excluded from the latest Qatari cash grants.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was reported in al-Ayyam warning that Israel’s foot-dragging in implementing the calm understandings puts these understandings in the zone danger.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Israeli journalist Ben Caspit’s tweet: “Abbas gave Trump a lesson in Middle East politics.”

K.F.