Newspapers Review: Settlers attacks, Prisoners’ Day focus of dailies

Al-Quds reported that settlers assaulted Palestinians and their property in Jerusalem, Hebron and the archeological site of Sebastia.

Al-Ayyam added that settlers vandalized a grave in the historic Bab al-Rahma Islamic cemetery next to East Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound.

Al-Ayyam also reported that settlers staged a provocative march around the gates leading to Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound, forming singing and dancing circles and performing religious rituals using a loudspeaker outside the holy site.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida reported in this regard that settlers raised Israeli flags at the walls of the Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron’s old city and assaulted a Palestinian, south of Jenin.

According to al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida, Israeli occupation authorities have commenced the installation works of surveillance cameras to the south of Al-Aqsa.

In addition, al-Ayyam reported that a Palestinian run over by an Israeli settler about a month ago has died in hospital.

The elderly, identified as Odeh Malash, 65, from al-Doha town in Bethlehem district, was run over by a settler in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Shufat, where he works.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida said that Israeli forces detained a total of 36 Palestinians, including a woman, during multiple overnight raids across the West Bank.

On the other hand, al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported that the Prisoners’ Affairs Committee has launched events marking the Palestinian Prisoners’ Day.

Al-Ayyam said in this regard that as Palestinians mark the Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, human rights organizations and institutions have demanded providing protection for prisoners and holding the Israeli occupation authorities liable for their crimes.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported the government spokesman Yousef al-Mahmoud stating that securing the release of prisoners was a top priority for the Palestinian leadership.

Besides, al-Quds and al-Ayyam highlighted an official statement by the European Union (EU) responding to media reports that the EU has recently passed a proposition to Hamas to solve the crisis gripping the besieged Gaza Strip.

Al-Quds reported that the EU Mission in Jerusalem denied that such a proposition was made to Hamas to confront the steps taken by President Mahmoud Abbas against Gaza.

Al-Ayyam reported in this regard that the EU reaffirmed its position that the Palestinian Authority is solely responsible for Gaza.

Furthermore, al-Quds reported Amnesty International demanding that Israel puts an end to the use of excessive force in Gaza.

Al-Ayyam reported the United Nations agency responsible for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warning that the security situation in al-Yarmouk refugee camp was alarming.

It reported President’s Advisor for External Affairs and International Relations Nabil Shaath expressing Fatah’s readiness to form a national unity government with all factions.

Hailing the recent Arab summit in Dhahran, Secretary-General of the PLO Executive Committee Saeb Erekat was reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida stating that the summit adopted all Palestinian proposals.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida spotlighted The Economic Costs of the Israeli Occupation for the Palestinian People and their Human Right to Development: Legal Dimensions issued by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

It quoted UNCTAD revealing that: “the ongoing occupation of Area C imposes a cost on the Palestinian economy of about 35 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).”