Political turmoil in Israel focus of dailies

The political turmoil in Israel since Israeli 'Defense’ Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced his resignation over agreed ceasefire with Gaza dominated the front page headlines in Palestinian Arabic dailies on Monday.

Highlighting his efforts to prevent to prevent the collapse of the government, the dailies reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for early elections and announced he would serve as 'Defense’ Minister.

Al-Quds said that Netanyahu would cling to the 'Defense’ Ministry portfolio.

The dailies highlighted media reports that Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennet and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked would resign, a step that threatens to collapse the coalition government.

On the other hand, al-Quds said that Israeli forces showered an elementary school in the southern West Bank city of Hebron with tear gas canisters, causing scores of Palestinian students and teachers to suffer tear gas inhalation.

It added that Israeli Jewish settlers attacked a Palestinian ambulance on al-Shuhada Street in Hebron city.

They reportedly hurled stones at the ambulance that was passing through the street in order to transfer a Palestinian patient to a hospital nearby.

According to al-Quds and al-Ayyam, settlers constructed a new settler-only agricultural road on lands belonging to Asira Ash-Shamaliya town, north of Nablus.

Al-Ayyam added that Israeli occupation authorities delivered a demolition notice to a Palestinian-owned home in Masafer Yatta area in the southern Hebron hills.

Additionally, President Mahmoud Abbas was reported in al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida stressing that the issue of Palestinians in Israeli detention would remain a priority to the Palestinian leadership.

Abbas reportedly made his remarks during a meeting with the family of the longest-serving Palestinian detainee Karim Yunis, who serves as a member of Fatah Central Committee.

Moreover, al-Quds and al-Ayyam spotlighted Israeli media reports that US President Donald Trump’s administration would take a decisive decision on the date of rolling out his Mideast plan, dubbed deal of the century.

They added that Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Secretary-General Saeb Erekat slammed a US draft resolution that condemns Hamas at the United Nations General Assembly.

Regarding ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Jerusalem, al-Quds said that Israel’s Supreme Court has denied the Palestinian families of Sabbagh and Hammad’s appeal in a case over the ownership of their building in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.

It explained the court’s ruling threatens the fate of dozens of Palestinian families in Jerusalem with forced displacement.

The dailies highlighted the Journalists Under Fire international media conference, which was held in Ramallah with the attendance of Premier Rami Hamdallah.

Hamdallah was reported expressing the cabinet’s keenness to consolidate freedom of information and safeguard the freedom of opinion and expression.

Highlighting the situation in flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, al-Quds and al-Ayyam said that Israeli Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Uri Ariel along with dozens of settlers stormed the holy site.

Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Head of the PLO Department of Refugee Affairs Ahamd Abu Holi announcing that UNRWA’s Advisory Committee would convene today to discuss the UN relief agency’s 2019 budget.

They also reported UNRWA spokesman Sami Mushasha announcing that the relief agency’s Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl would is scheduled to announce today that the agency has narrowed its funding gap following US funding cuts.

Moreover, al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Fatah Central Committee denying any involvement with a festival to be held in Gaza tomorrow to commemorate the 14th anniversary of iconic leader Yasser Arafat’s death.

Regarding Egyptian efforts to establish calm in Gaza, al-Ayyam reported Egyptian sources revealing that Israel would commence the implementation of “Gaza clam facilitations” and that the issue of intra-Palestinian reconciliation would be seriously examined soon.

Finally, the dailies said that Kuwait contributed $50 million grant to support the State of Palestine’s budget.