Newspapers Review: Clashes with Israeli soldiers in Gaza and West Bank highlight of dailies

The clashes that broke out on Sunday night and during the day on the Gaza Strip border with Israel and in the city of Ramallah following an army raid were highlighted on the front page of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies on Monday.

The clashes resulted in several injuries, mainly in Gaza where at least two were reported in critical condition after they were shot by Israeli soldiers, said the papers.

In Ramallah, an army force raided the city in mid-day and arrested three people from inside a building, said the papers.

In Jerusalem as well the papers said Israeli police ordered 14 Palestinians to stay away from Al-Aqsa Mosque for several days as Jewish fanatics have intensified their provocative visits of the Muslim holy compound.

The main front page headline in Al-Quds said: “A general strike today at home and in the Diaspora.” The paper opted to focus on the strike and its reason, which is to protest the Israeli racist law, the Nation-State Basic Law.

It quoted Palestinian Israeli lawmaker Ahmad Tibi and another official saying they will not succumb to the racist law.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida also reported on the calls for the general strike.

In other news, al-Quds reported on reconciliation efforts between Fatah and Hamas and said Hams insists on applying the 2011 agreement between them while Fatah insists on the 2017 agreement.

Al-Ayyam reported on the meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) in New York and its results, which called for finding solutions to the deteriorating situation in Gaza.

It said employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) closed the agency’s offices in Gaza to protest dismissal of employees.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida said Israel turned over the body of Mohammad Rimawi to his family for burial. Rimawi was beaten to death by soldiers after he was detained at his home in Beit Rima, near Ramallah, two weeks ago.

It also said the Israeli authorities released Palestinian-French lawyer and human rights activist Salah Hammouri, from Jerusalem, after holding him in prison for 13 months without charge or trial.

It said that the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate called on its members to boycott an invitation by the US embassy for a meeting with Palestinian journalists.

The paper also reported that Israel has attacked the Spanish football team, Real Madrid, for hosting Palestinian civic protest icon, 17-year-old Ahed Tamimi.