In the UK and international press today, BBC Online and Reuters report that the Egyptian pipeline that supplies natural gas to Israel and Jordan was attacked and blown up early this morning at Bir Abd in northern Sinai. Reuters also reports that yesterday Greek authorities offered to ferry humanitarian aid to Gaza, after banning a flotilla of ships bound for Gaza from departing its ports. In other news, most papers report that Syria deployed tanks into the city of Hama, following the largest anti-government protest against President Bashar Assad that took place in the city.

Over the weekend, the Telegraph on Sunday reported that Israel claimed a diplomatic victory as Greece stopped the pro-Palestinian flotilla of ships from setting sail to Gaza. The Financial Times, the Guardian and BBC Online reported on Sunday that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah rejected the indictment of four of its members over the assassination of former-prime minister Rafik Hariri. BBC Online noted that the Palestinian Authority is facing a budget crisis and cut salaries to civil service workers. The Telegraph on Sunday reported that Iran might face the prospects of early presidential elections as opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for an election to coincide with next year’s parliamentary elections. The Times on Saturday reported on the improving conditions in Gaza and the building of a £25 million luxury hotel.

In the Israeli press, all papers note that the Egyptian pipeline that provides natural gas to Israel and Jordan was blown up early this morning, marking the third attack on the pipeline in six months. Haaretz reports that the Palestinian leadership are setting up a diplomatic “war room” to lead its efforts to garner support for a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly vote in September. The paper also notes that Israeli and Palestinian security forces have been taking precautions to prevent an outbreak in violence during and after the September vote. The papers also note that 700 pro-Palestinian activists are planning to fly en masse to Ben-Gurion airport and cause disruption. The papers note that Israel accepted the Greek government’s offer on Sunday to send humanitarian aid via Greek ships to Gaza under UN supervision. All Israeli media report on the arrest of Rabbi Ya’acov Yosef, son of Shas spiritual leader Ovadia Yosef, on suspicion on incitement to racism, for endorsing a book that appears to justify the killing of non-Jews in certain circumstances.