Stated-owned Al-Akhbar starts off with a report on demonstrations staged by Israelis in Tel Aviv against the Judaization of Jerusalem. According to the paper, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that his state will resume the construction of Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, ignoring America’s “disappointment” with such a move.
The report says that Israel’s UN envoy Meron Reuben declared that Israel will not halt construction unless it will come to a peace agreement with Palestine. Israel has been under pressure from the US to extend the settlement freeze until both states reach a satisfactory solution. Moreover, in his statement, Reuben expressed Israeli concerns that Arab nations may resort to the United Nations to gain the recognition of a Palestinian state before setting peace talks in motion.
On the other hand, Yasser Abed Rabbo, Palestinian Liberation Organization secretary-general, ruled out the possibility that America will succeed in resuming direct talks between Palestine and Israel. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas previously threatened that he will quit the negotiations if the moratorium freeze is not extended. The US and Arab nations have backed the Palestinian president’s decision.
Al-Akhbar adds that thousands of Israeli Jews and 1948 Arabs staged peaceful demonstrations against Netanyahu’s plan for building new homes in the occupied territory and the new law on pledging loyalty to a Jewish state. Demonstrators marched from Tel Aviv to the defense ministry, carrying banners that read “Arabs and Jews refuse to be enemies,” and “No to hatred.”
In other front-page news, independent paper Al-Dostour writes that Egypt’s Minister of Endowments Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzuq said he intends to visit Jerusalem to emphasize Muslims’ rights to their holy shrine, as are clearly mentioned in Quran’s verses. According to the report, the idea of having to obtain a visa from Israel to enter Palestine did not upset Zaqzuz as, he said, it is not a justified reason for Muslims to stop visiting Al-Aqsa Mosque. As an example to support his statements, the minister said that the Prophet Mohamed went to perform the Umrah while Mecca was under the authority of infidels.
The paper quotes Zaqzuq as saying, “Our society is witnessing nowadays a wave of extremism from both Muslims and Christians. I think ignorance is the reason behind this situation because people who are fully aware of their religion won’t be affected by extremist statements.” He added that any offense against Christians is totally unacceptable.
“Prices of vegetables and fruits have fallen sharply” is another headline on the front page of Al-Akhbar. According to its report, tomatoes are now priced at LE4.50 per kilo, potatoes at LE1.80, and cucumbers at LE2. A top official told the paper that this is because the market supply has been vastly increased, causing prices to drop. The official added that this is a direct consequence of the 400 percent increase in vegetable quantities, compared with last week.
The report also quotes a vegetable vendor who predicts that tomato prices will witness a further decline during the coming 15 days, after harvests in governorates and Upper Egypt cities, especially Asna, enter the market to cover Egypt’s shortage. The vendor explained that the prices of a 1kg pack of tomatoes could drop to LE2, whereas the price reached LE10 a week ago.
Egypt's papers:
Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest distribution in Egypt
Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to Al-Ahram in institutional size
Al-Gomhorriya: Daily, state-run
Rose al-Youssef: Daily, state-run, close to the National Democratic Party's Policies Secretariat
Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned
Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned
Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party
Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Arab Nasserist party
Youm7: Weekly, privately owned
Sawt al-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
