Writing in the Guardian online, Avi Shlaim argues that Barack Obama is “one of the most pro-Israeli American Presidents since Harry S Truman,” especially given his backing for the largest ever US military aid deal with Israel. He says that Obama’s antipathy towards Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu co-exists with a real commitment towards the Jewish state. Shlaim suggests that the Obama administration refused to veto the recent United Nations’ (UN) Security Council resolution critical of Israel, in order to preserve “Israel as a Jewish and democratic country”.

The Financial Times, Guardian, Independent and Metro all report that a suspect in the terror attack on an Istanbul club on New Year’s Eve, which killed 39 people, including an Israeli woman, has been arrested in Turkey.

The Guardian online includes a feature on the growing prominence of Mizrachi music and culture in Israel, rooted in the Jewish communities of the Middle East and Arab world which largely came to Israel during the 1950s. The article says that this “musical and artistic culture once pushed to the sidelines is quietly reasserting itself,” coming “amid a newfound political confidence”.

In Syria, the Times reports that some Syrian opposition leaders have criticised US coalition air strikes against the jihadist opposition group, the Fatah al-Sham Front, questioning why similar action has not been taken against Hezbollah, a staunch ally of President Assad. The Guardian online says that ISIS has broken through government lines in the eastern town of Deir ez-Zar.

The Financial Times reports that Iran’s President Rouhani has branded Donald Trump’s suggestion that the nuclear deal could be rescinded as “slogans”. Rouhani also ruled out re-negotiating the agreement. In the Guardian, European Union (EU) foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini writes that “the nuclear agreement with Iran is working” and that without it, “the regional situation would be even more alarming”.

The i reports that Israel’s largest zoo, the Ramat Gan Safari, is trying to locate an escaped 17-year-old monkey.

In the Israeli media, the top story on news websites including NRG and Walla is an incident which occurred early this morning during planned home demolitions at the long-contested, unrecognised Bedouin town of Umm al-Hiran in southern Israel. At least two people appear to have been killed, as an attacker rammed a vehicle into Israeli security forces at the scene. Israel Radio reports that rioting ensued, in which a number of police officers and civilians were injured, including Joint Arab List Chairman, MK Ayman Odeh.

The ongoing criminal investigation into Prime Minister Netanyahu’s relationship with prominent businessmen remains the top story in Maariv, Haaretz and Israel Hayom. Maariv focuses on yesterday’s questioning of Netanyahu’s son Yair, over his relationship with Australian billionaire James Packer. Haaretz and Israel Hayom published comments from Israel’s police chief Roni Alsheich, who indicated that the investigation will not be lengthy.

A major item in YNet is footage which has emerged of IDF soldiers dragging a wounded Palestinian, who later died, without a stretcher, during a violent clash between security forces and local demonstrators on Sunday near Bethlehem in the West Bank. Some have criticised the soldiers featured in the footage for not caring properly for the wounded Palestinian. However, the IDF explained that they remained under attack from rocks and moved the injured man as quickly as possible to a military vehicle where he received treatment from medics.

Israel Radio news says that Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein has, for now, rejected Likud Minister Ze’ev Elkin’s request to impeach Joint Arab List MK Basel Ghattas, who is accused of aiding Palestinian security prisoners. Edelstein said that the request explained only that Ghattas had been summoned for questioning and that this was not sufficient basis for the petition. Elkin indicated that he will present a new, updated request.