Both the Telegraph and Times cover evidence given yesterday by Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a Jerusalem court against claims of mistreatment by a former-employee in the couple’s official residence. Both report that Sara Netanyahu said the well-publicised claims, which the Times notes have fascinated the Israeli public, are part of a media campaign against her, orchestrated by Arnon Mozes, the owner of Yediot Ahronot.

The Times also reports the release of Israeli army files yesterday which indicated that a bombing campaign in Egypt in 1954 may have been the work of Israel’s Defence Minister at the time, Pinchas Lavon, who was attempting to foment discord in order to prevent a British withdrawal from Suez.

The Guardian, Telegraph, Times and the online edition of the Financial Times all report that the King of Saudi Arabia has pulled out of a summit at Camp David for Gulf states hosted by US President Obama, which is scheduled to discuss regional issues, including Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Gulf states and Saudi Arabia have publicly expressed their fears over Tehran’s atomic programme and have expressed concern at the emerging deal with the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany). However, the Saudi authorities have insisted that the King’s withdrawal does not signal a disagreement with Washington.

The Financial Times says that Iran’s Mahan Air, which has been blacklisted for its links with the influential Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is suspected of having acquired nine commercial aircraft via complex arrangements involving front companies. Apparently, Western diplomats fear the aircraft could be used to transport Iranian weapons to Yemen and Syria.

In Syria, the Times online reports that President Assad has dismissed the head of the Syrian intelligence service for allegedly plotting a coup against him. The Telegraph online reports the same story and places it in the context of wider disquiet within Assad’s inner circle, particularly over the increasing influence of Iran which some fear is overshadowing the country’s leadership.

In the Israeli media, the top item is yesterday’s Knesset vote which narrowly approved a first reading of a bill to extend the cabinet. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hopes to increase the number of permitted ministers in order to placate the ambitions of his coalition partners and fellow Likud MKs. However, the opposition has pledged to fight the bill, branding it a waste of public funds. Yediot Ahronot and Haaretz highlight yesterday’s close vote carried by 61 to 59 MKs, while Maariv focuses on the delay which the bill has caused to finalising the makeup of the new government. Meanwhile, Israel Hayom headlines claims by Likud that opposition to the bill is “hypocritical,” as they too would do the same thing in Netanyahu’s position.

Haaretz, Yediot Ahronot and Israel Radio news all highlight President Reuven Rivlin’s official visit to Germany, which marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. At an official state dinner, Rivlin said that the warm relations between the two countries are based on much more than the ashes of the past.

The Nana news site suggests that in an unusual meeting, Israeli army officials met yesterday with Lebanese counterparts and representatives of the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force. Apparently, they discussed upholding the UN Security Council resolution which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War.