The Financial Times reports that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pressured the chemical giant, Israel Chemicals, which is part state-owned, over a threat to jobs at the company. The move comes after the workers union leader at Israel Chemicals, also a prominent Likud Party activist, was scheduled to speak at a large rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening to demand a change of government. Netanyahu’s action appeared to result in the union leader being removed from the list of speakers at the demonstration.

The Times includes a profile of Joint Arab List leader Ayman Odeh, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise to a position of influence. The article speculates that Odeh could become the leader of the opposition in the next Knesset with rumours that President Reuven Rivlin will encourage a national unity government if it looks unlikely that either Likud or Zionist Union will be able to form a decisive or stable coalition following next week’s election.

The Times notes that Egypt has opened the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip for the first time in two months. Egyptian authorities enforced the closure following a series of deadly terror attacks on security forces in the Sinai Peninsula, which it says are supported by Hamas from Gaza. However, international leaders have highlighted the Rafah closure as a significant factor in the slow pace of Gaza reconstruction.

The Financial Times online reports that Egyptian authorities have an additional security concern after a series of apparent “lone wolf” attacks on symbols of Western influence, such as fast-food takeaways. The incidents come ahead of an international investment conference in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Writing in the Guardian online, Julian Borger says the Iranian media is reporting that the next and decisive round of nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany) will take place on 21 March in Lausanne. The talks are apparently scheduled to last for five days and are the last chance for both sides to meet an end of March deadline on an outline to a nuclear deal.

City AM says that US President Barack Obama has criticised a letter signed by 47 Republican Senators, warning Iran that a potential nuclear agreement could be changed when Obama leaves office.

In the Israeli media, there is a general anticipation in advance of the general election, which is exactly one week away. Yediot Ahronot leads with a call by President Reuven Rivlin for Israel’s citizens to go out and vote, while the front page of Israel Hayom declares “Seven decisive days.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit yesterday to the Machane Yehuda market in Jerusalem, considered the ultimate bastion of right-wing and Likud support is covered prominently in Israel Hayom. However, Ben Caspit in Maariv notes that the media was not invited to cover Netanyahu’s visit in advance and suggests that there were fears that he would face some form of protest. He points out that, “Once upon a time, an event of that kind would have been a media fest for Bibi and the Likud” among “the bedrock of King Bibi’s existence. But that’s just the point—it isn’t anymore.”

Ben-Dror Yemini’s commentary in Yediot Ahronot is given prominence, as he bemoans the base tone of debate during the general election campaign, across the political divide. He argues “This happens mainly because there is no real discussion about anything.  None at all” and concludes hopefully “The voters, we can hope, are slightly wiser.”

Meanwhile, Israel Radio news reports that the United Nations (UN) commission of inquiry into whether war crimes were committed during Operation Protective Edge has asked the UN Human Rights Council for a three-month extension on publishing its report, following the resignation of the commission’s controversial head William Schabas.