Israel tightening its military grip on the northern West Bank and the Israeli government’s scheme for occupied East Jerusalem were highlighted on the front page of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies published today. Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida dailies said the Israeli occupation authorities beefed up military presence and measures in Nablus and surrounding areas following the attack on Saturday in Hawara town, south of Nablus, that left two Israelis dead. Al-Hayat al-Jadida said the occupation is ‘suffocating’ the Nablus governorate with its measures. Al-Ayyam said the Hawara attacker did not leave any clues that could lead to his arrest. The third daily, al-Quds, which also reported on the Israeli measures in the northern West Bank, highlighted the Israeli government’s five-year, 3.2-billion-shekel plan for occupied East Jerusalem which it said in its main front-page story headline intends to annex and Judaize the occupied section of the city. It quoted the Palestinian foreign ministry describing the plan as ‘colonial’, and said the racist Israeli cabinet minister Itamar Ben Gvir allocated 120 million shekels for boosting settlements in the city. The start of the new 2023-2024 school year in Palestine was also highlighted on the front page of the three dailies with al-Hayat al-Jadida quoting Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh saying on the occasion that education in Palestine is a source of pride. Al-Hayat al-Jadida also highlighted President Mahmoud Abbas bestowing medals on several retired governors and al-Ayyam said a number of ambassadors have been informed that they will be retired after reaching the official retirement age. Al-Hayat al-Jadida said today marks 54 years since the burning of al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Al-Quds said a new Corona variant has been discovered in Israel.

Source: En – Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA