The Financial Times looks at the strain in relations between Hamas and Egypt after the Sinai terror attack. The article quotes Yoram Schweitzer, a senior researcher at the prestigious Israeli thing tank INSS, who posits that “paradoxically, one of Israel’s most stable partners (regarding the Sinai situation) is Hamas”. Both the Guardian and Daily Telegraph report Saeed Jalili, Iran’s national security adviser meeting with Syrian president Assad yesterday as he sought to bolster the “axis of resistance”, which comprises of Iran Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon. There is further, broad coverage of Syria as aerial bombardment of Aleppo continues. The Financial Times reports on Syrian workers being harassed in Beirut and being forced to flee, furthering concern that sectarian violence could spread to Lebanon. The Financial Times looks at how the US presidential elections and Israeli pressure could lead to tougher sanctions for British bank Standard Chartered over its apparently illegal dealings with Iran. ‘The Games’ section of the Times, continues to follow Ankie Spitzer, widow of an Israeli athlete killed in the 1972 Munich Olympics terror attack, who strongly criticised IOC president Jacques Rogge for blocking a minute’s silence at the opening ceremony. The Financial Times includes comment on this issue, as the decision continues to “cast a shadow over Israel”.

All the headlines in the today’s Israeli media express disappointment that Israel will not bring home any medals from the London Olympics. This is the first time in 24 years that Israel has not taken a single medal. In other news, analysis of Sunday’s Sinai terror attack continues. Yediot Ahronot’s front page coverage also includes a look at Israelis who despite the warnings nevertheless are on holiday in the Sinai. Haaretz and Yediot Ahronot give prominent coverage to Egyptian efforts to close the smuggling tunnels between Gaza and Sinai. Maariv notes that in recent conversations between Israeli and American officials, Israel conveyed its belief that only the operation of elite Egyptian units in Sinai and an improvement in the economic situation of the Bedouin community will address security threats in the peninsula. In other news, Maariv and Israel Hayom report on the Knesset audit committee’s hearing with the families of victims from the Carmel forest fire, that killed 44 people most of whom were Prison Service cadets. The Jerusalem Post and Israel Hayom cover Foreign Minister Lieberman’s meeting with his Australian equivalent. Minister Lieberman elaborated on Israel’s recent concessions to the Palestinians including “approved entry of an additional 5,000 Palestinian workers into Israel, and had given the Palestinian Authority an advance of NIS 180 million for tax refunds in honor of the month of Ramadan. In addition, Israel signed an agreement between the Israel Electric Corporation and the Palestinian Energy Authority for building four sub-stations in the West Bank for producing energy, approved infrastructure projects in Area C and removed roadblocks”.