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Media Summary

29/07/2015

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The Independent i reports on clashes yesterday between Israeli security forces and protestors from the settler community who are attempting to prevent the impending demolition of two buildings in the Beit El settlement of the West Bank. Israel’s High Court recently ruled that the property was registered to Palestinians and the building did not have the correct permits.

The Telegraph, Independent and Independent i all cover the confirmation yesterday by US authorities that convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, who has been imprisoned since 1985, will be released on parole in November. Pollard was a civilian intelligence analyst for the US Navy when he was recruited by Israeli agents in the 1980s. The unusual longevity of his imprisonment has led to calls for his release over the years by some Israeli leaders and former-senior US officials. Both Israeli and American officials have denied that Pollard’s impending release is linked in any way to the Iran nuclear deal, as a measure to appease Israel.

Meanwhile, the Financial Times and the online edition of the Guardian report that US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday testified at the House Foreign Affairs Select Committee over the recent Iran nuclear deal. Urging Congressional members to support the deal, he said that failure to approve the agreement would see sanctions on Iran unravel while at the same time reducing Washington’s future negotiating capability. Writing in the Times, Roger Boyes criticises President Obama for effectively gambling that opening up Iranian trade will lead to a more liberal government, saying that “evidence suggests otherwise.”

The Financial Times reports the visit of Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign affairs chief to Tehran. Mogherini played a key role in concluding the nuclear accord. The article says that she is hoping to encourage greater cooperation between Iran and its neighbours.

Writing in the Daily Express, Stephen Pollard contends that Prime Minister David Cameron’s pledge to tackle foreign money laundering in the UK is not only about cracking down on criminal activity, but that terrorist groups such as Hezbollah also rely on laundering to finance its activities.

In the Israeli media, the top story in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Haaretz and Israel Hayom is the announcement yesterday that Jonathan Pollard will be released from an American prison in November. Most publications headline Pollard’s reported comment following the news, in which he thanked all those who had campaigned on his behalf down the years. Some Israeli leaders called for Pollard to be allowed to come to Israel immediately following his release, although it seems likely he will be required to remain in the United States for five years.

The other major story this morning is the ongoing stand-off between security forces and settler activists in Beit El, with the fate of two buildings slated for demolition still uncertain. It is a major item in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Haaretz and Israel Hayom, all of which also highlight the tension between Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon and Jewish Home leaders, after Ya’alon appeared to promise that the demolitions would not take place, failing to mention that they would however be evacuated. Israel Radio news reports that the Beit El Local Council chair said this morning that residents would obey the law if the demolitions take place.