RAMALLAH, December 7, 2017 (WAFA) – The speech delivered by President Mahmoud Abbas in response to US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital hit the front page headlines in Palestinian Arabic dailies on Thursday.

The dailies said Trump decided to officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and alerted the State Department to begin preparations to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Abbas was reported in al-Quds stating that Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital constituted a “withdrawal by Washington from its role as a mediator in the peace process” and as a “reward to Israel.”

He was also reported in al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida stating no decision would be able to alter Jerusalem’s identity or forge its history.

He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida reiterating the decision would not “give any legitimacy to Israel because ]Jerusalem[ is an Arab Christian and Muslim city and the eternal capital of the state of Palestine.”

He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida affirming that the move “benefits extremist organizations attempting to turn the Palestinian-Israeli conflict into a religious war that may drag the region into endless violence.”

Al-Hayat al-Jadida added that Abbas called on Palestinians to seize “this historic moment” to rise over divisions and pursue national unity.

It also reported him announcing that Palestinian factions would meet in the coming days to weigh their options and come out with a unified Palestinian position.

Furthermore, al-Quds said following his decision, Trump has inflamed Palestinians’ anger (rage) and evoked wide condemnations from Arab and Islamic countries.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida described Trump’s decision as “the ultimate blow” delivered to the peace process and two-state solution.

The dailies added Palestinian factions have declared a general strike across the occupied Palestinian territories and called on the Palestinian people to take to the streets over Trump’s decision.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said the Palestinian cabinet slammed Trump’s decision as violating all relevant United Nations resolutions.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida added the Palestinian Education Ministry has decided to call on schools to observe a general strike today.

According to al-Ayyam, the UN Security Council would meet on Friday over Trump’s decision.

According to al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida, the Arab League would convene a meeting at the level of foreign ministers on Saturday over Trump’s decision.

Al-Ayyam highlighted a letter that was sent by the heads of churches in Jerusalem to Trump regarding the status of Jerusalem before he took his decision.

It reported them cautioning Trump against changing the longstanding US position on Jerusalem.

Moreover, al-Hayat al-Jadida said a Palestinian child from the Gaza Strip died on Wednesday after succumbing to wounds he sustained during the Israeli onslaught on Gaza in 2014.

K.F./M.K.