The uprising in Syria continues to dominate Middle East coverage in the UK media today. The Guardian, Independent, Times, Scotsman, Reuters and BBC Online note the issuing by President Bashar Assad of an ‘amnesty’ for political prisoners. The Financial Times runs a piece on the clan loyalties that underpin the Syrian military’s loyalty to Assad. In other items, the Guardian notes that many Palestinians and Israelis expect a new Intifada to break out in the near future. BBC Online also reports on a rally in Istanbul in support of a new flotilla to Gaza. The Guardian and Daily Mail have articles on cyber-warfare, noting the Stuxnet virus that hit the Iranian nuclear programme. The Daily Telegraph notes an initiative by an Israeli MK to give all neighbourhoods in Jerusalem Hebrew names. The Times publishes a number of letters responding to a piece criticising Prime Minister David Cameron’s decision to cease being a patron for the Jewish National Fund.

In the Israeli media, all papers note a statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday expressing opposition to a re-division of Jerusalem. Haaretz has additional pieces on revelations that National Security Adviser Ya’acov Amidror worked with companies controlled by the Ofer brothers, who are suspected of illegal trade with Iran. The Jerusalem Post notes efforts coordinated by Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon to prevent Latin American countries from supporting a unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood at the UN. All papers note the amnesty offered by Assad to political prisoners in Syria. Ynetnews has additional pieces on the ‘Magic Wand’ missile defence system in Israel, and a plan by Palestinian Facebook groups to organise a march on Israel’s borders on June 5. Maariv notes a renewal of industrial action by doctors in Israel.