The Times, the Guardian, BBC News Online, the Independent, the Financial Times, the Telegraph, the Daily Mail, the Mirror and the Sun report that Sara Netanyahu has been charged with fraud and breach of trust after ordering gourmet meals worth tens of thousands of pounds to entertain private guests at her official residence. The Israeli Prime Minister’s wife conspired with a senior official in the Prime Minister’s office to order meals prepared by celebrity chefs at Jerusalem’s best restaurants against official regulations and despite the government employing a cook at the residence, Jerusalem magistrates’ court was told yesterday. The food was served at private family meals and parties and at meals where Israeli billionaires close to the Prime Minister were entertained. According to the indictment, the sum out of which Sara Netanyahu is alleged to have defrauded the Government is more than £75,000. Her husband is not mentioned in the indictment. Investigators could not prove that he was aware of the alleged fraud.

The Times published an article by journalist Eamon Delaney which questions Ireland’s policies towards Israel arguing that “scolding Israel is an odd song for Ireland”.

The Daily Mail reports that a Palestinian man charged with terrorist offences told Israeli investigators that his family was paid by the Hamas’ leader to falsely tell the media his baby cousin died of tear gas inhalation. The story of Leila al-Ghandour’s death due to tear gas sprayed by Israeli forces at Gaza border protesters made global headlines last month. Her cousin Mahmoud Omar, made the revelation about his family being paid to lie about her death as he was being interrogated after being arrested by IDF forces on May 28.

The Daily Mail reports that Natalie Portman has pulled out of a deal to buy the TV rights for a book about an Israeli lawyer battling Middle Eastern terrorist groups, its author has claimed. The actress, an Israeli-American born in Jerusalem, reportedly dropped out of negotiations for Nitsana Darshan-Leitner’s bestselling book Harpoon just after she controversially turned down an invitation to attend the Genesis Prize awards ceremony. Darshan-Leitner has now expressed her disappointment to The Blast, hinting that the actress dropped out because of the furore surrounding her award snub.

The Times reports that Turkey’s ruling party has pledged to curb the soaring price of potatoes and onions as it heads into a knife-edge election this weekend. Nihat Zeybekci, Turkey’s Economy Minister, said that imports of the vegetables would be permitted. “We will take measures to prevent dramatic price increases in some food products. We will allow onion and potato imports from certain countries and in certain amounts,” he said. The rising cost of food, and the state of the economy in general, could hurt the AK Party’s chances of success in the elections on Sunday, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s hold on power.

The Guardian published a column by Simon Tisdall that calls Erdoğan “a dictator in all but name” and argues he should be voted out during elections that take place this weekend.

The Telegraph reports on coverage in the Saudi Media that that Saudi Arabia intends to literally carve up the Arabian Peninsula to spite its neighbour Qatar, inviting companies to construct a canal that would turn Qatar into an island. The Kingdom, which has led a blockade on Qatar for more than a year, has invited five companies to bid for the project, Mekkah newspaper reported, adding that a Saudi military base would be built in the kilometre-deep buffer zone between the future “Salwa Canal” and Qatar.

The Daily Mail via AFP reports that Jordan’s King Abdullah II left for the United States on Thursday for talks with US President Donald Trump on Middle East issues, including the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Accompanied by his wife Rania, the monarch is also scheduled to meet with senior officials from the Trump administration and members of Congress, the palace said in a statement. His meeting with Trump is expected to take place at the White House on Monday.

The Daily Mail via AFP reports that Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog was named the head of the Jewish Agency on Thursday, despite Netanyahu’s efforts to get one of his own ministers elected.  The agency, which is the executive branch of the World Zionist Organization that was founded by Theodor Herzl in 1897, is to endorse Herzog’s appointment on Sunday.

The Daily Mail via AFP reports that Syrian government forces shelled rebel-held areas in the south on Thursday, further undermining an international “de-escalation” agreement backed by the United States ahead of a threatened offensive, prompting a warning from the US of “serious repercussions” for the violations.

The Register reports that Israel is planning to develop a “state-level cyber-shield” to improve its resilience against hacking and malware, the country’s newly appointed cyberczar said on Wednesday. Yigal Unna, director of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, said the shield would mitigate threats from both private outfits and government organisations. The capabilities of the proposed technology, much less a timeline for its delivery and budget, were left vague.

All the Israeli media report the indictment of Sara Netanyahu, for fraud and breach of trust for illegally ordering gourmet meals worth hundreds of thousands of shekels to the Prime Minister’s Residence and then trying to conceal it. Maariv refers to the “silence of the ministers” apart from Communications Minister Ayoub Kara who issued a brief statement of support, no other minister commented. Zionist Union MK Shelly Yachimovich tweeted: “The indictment against Sara Netanyahu is outrageous and infuriating. It reflects an outdated, chauvinist view that the kitchen is the sole purview of the woman. Binyamin Netanyahu did not eat the meals? Were the other people not his guests?”  Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, praised Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, whose behaviour he criticised in the past and applauded the “the signs of life in Mandelblit’s backbone. Today he deserves a big “like.” But make no mistake—the tough decisions and the true test are still ahead of him. Hopefully he will meet them.”  Yediot Ahronot  notes “nobody expects Netanyahu to go to jail, which is the maximum punishment permitted by law, and the assessment is that beyond a fine—the deal will make do with a suspended sentence or community service. “

Maariv reveals Israeli officials are concerned about the possibility of an American peace plan that may give the Palestinians further standing in East Jerusalem. The paper refers back to an earlier leak that suggests that Israeli sovereignty be conceded in four East Jerusalem neighbourhoods. Now the concern is that in addition, the plan would include the establishment of a new consulate in East Jerusalem as compensation for US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving the embassy there. However, Amos Harel in Haaretz, suggests there are growing signs that the Trump peace plan will not meet the Palestinian’s conditions to resume negotiations.

Israel Hayom reports that the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, paid the family of a baby girl who died last month in Gaza to claim that she died from inhaling tear gas that was fired during one of the demonstrations along the Gaza border with Israel.

The Times of Israel reports a press conference yesterday by British Ambassador David Quarrey. Asked to comment on the reference to the Old City of Jerusalem as Occupied Palestinian Territories. Quarrey reiterated, “All the terminology that was used in the program was consistent with years of practice by British governments. It’s consistent with British government policy.” He insisted that: “there’s no political message in this. The Duke is not a political figure. He’ll be here to see a little bit of the country and to get to meet some of the people here. And also to get a flavour of Israel, to see what’s happening here, some of the extraordinary successes in technology, some of the great culture here. And he really wants to get under the skin of the country.” He went on to say: “It’s the first official visit by a senior member of the royal family. I think it’s going to be a great success. I hope that it will be a celebration of the modern relationship, the modern partnership between the UK and Israel.” If William does visit the Western Wall, it would likely be billed as a “private visit,” as has been the case when other dignitaries have visited recently.