International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People focus of dailies

President Mahmoud Abbas’ speech on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People hit the front page headlines in Friday’s dailies.

Addressing the UN General Assembly on Abbas’ behalf, Palestine’s Permanent Observer to the UN Riyad Mansour was reported in al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida stating: “]If international and regional efforts fail to find a solution to the Palestinian question[, the Palestinian people will not disappear, nor will they accept oppression and injustice as their future.”

He was also reported in al-Ayyam stressing that the Palestinian people “will continue their legitimate struggle to realize their inalienable rights ]and strive for equal rights for all in historic Palestine[.”

He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida wondering: “How long will Israel be treated as a state above international law? When will the international community shoulder its responsibilities?”

He also reportedly affirmed on Abbas’ behalf commitment to international law and legitimacy as well as the two-state solution on pre-1967 borders.

Additionally, al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighted Chinese President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letter on this occasion.

Jinping was reported stating that “the Palestinian issue has been at the root of problems in the Middle East”.

He was also reported stressing that “an early, comprehensive and fair solution to the Palestinian issue is not only the common aspiration of the international community, ]but also in the interests of the Palestinians and other people in the region and conducive to world peace and stability[.”

On the other hand, al-Quds highlighted media reports indicating that Israeli occupation authorities have decided to halt security coordination with the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the suburbs of East Jerusalem.

The dailies added that the Palestinian leadership has come under tremendous pressures and threats to release a Palestinian-US national accused of selling Palestinian property to Israeli settlers.

Intelligence Chief Majid Faraj and member of Fatah Central Committee Hussein al-Sheikh reportedly have come under tremendous pressure to release Issam Akel, a dual US-Palestinian national who was arrested two months ago for selling property to Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida explained that these pressures come as part of a “war over sovereignty on Jerusalem”.

Moreover, the dailies said that Israeli occupation authorities extended the detention of 11 Fatah activists, including Jerusalem Governor Adnan Gheith.

According to al-Ayyam, Israeli occupation authorities released 23 Fatah activists under strict conditions.

Furthermore, al-Quds said that dozens of students suffocated after Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters at them in Abu Dis town, east of Jerusalem.

It added that a number of Palestinians also suffocated during an Israeli military raid into al-Khader town, south of Bethlehem.

According to al-Quds, several obstacles face the US draft resolution that condemns Hamas at the UN General Assembly.

Spotlighting rising tensions in Jerusalem, al-Quds said that 182 Israeli Jewish settlers forced their way into Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound and Israeli occupation authorities have installed new surveillance cameras across Jerusalem’s Old City to fortify settlement outposts.

Al-Quds and al-Ayyam said that settlers have installed a huge candelabrum at Al-Buraq Square, known to Jews as Western Wall Plaza.

Al-Quds said that thanks to the efforts exerted by the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, Britain has recognizes Israel’s religious persecution of Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem.

Yet, the dailies reported that the Irish Senate has approved a bill to boycott products from Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Al-Quds issued a translation for US President’s Middle East Envoy Jason Greenblatt’s article Palestinians deserve better than calcified positions that have failed to bring peace, jobs or opportunity.

It said that thousands took to the streets of and started a three-day sit-in the West Bank city of Ramallah in protest of the controversial Social Security Law.

According to al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida, the Interpol National Central Bureau of Jordan has arrested a Palestinian fugitive responding to a request from its Palestinian counterpart.

Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida said that President Abbas sponsored a mass wedding for members of security services.

Al-Ayyam highlighted Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF) report Gazans’ injuries risk permanently shattering lives.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida added that Israeli occupation authorities released Ahmad al-Zaatari and Shadi Farrah, both 15 of age, after serving three-year prison sentence.

It reported Foreign and Expatriates Minister Riyad Malki stating that Indonesia would not sign a free trade agreement with Australia if the latter relocates its embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.