Kerry’s speech highlight of dailies

The speech US Secretary of State John Kerry made in Washington on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict was the highlight of the three Palestinian Arabic dailies on Thursday.

The three papers gave large space on their front page to the speech each highlighting a certain aspect in it with al-Ayyam focusing on the six principles Kerry presented for a solution, al-Quds highlighting Kerry’s focus on the two-state solution as the only way for peace and al-Hayat al-Jadida highlighting on top of its page President Mahmoud Abbas’ reaction to the speech while lower down in the page quoting Kerry focusing on the negative impact of settlements on chances of peace.

The papers also carried reactions from Israel and around the world to Kerry’s speech.

They also reported on Israeli settlement activities, particularly a decision by the West Jerusalem Israeli municipality to allow Jewish settlers to build a three-story building in the heart of the Arab neighborhood of Silwan in East Jerusalem.

Al-Quds said US congress leaders are calling for an end to US financing of the United Nations as a result of the anti-settlements vote in the Security Council.

It said in another story from the US that a federal court has accepted three lawsuits against the US treasury for financing Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory.

It said in a different story that Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouk is going to meet Egyptian officials in Cairo to discuss improving relations between his movement and the Egyptian government.

The papers also reported on the agreement between the Palestinian telecommunications and cellular companies, Paltel and Jawwal, to continue operation for 20 more years for a value of $290 million.

source: WAFA