The planned naval flotilla to Gaza dominates Israel-related coverage in the UK media today. The Guardian notes efforts by Israel to prevent the flotilla from sailing. The Independent runs a piece about an apparently hoax video blog opposing the flotilla. The article suggests that the hoax forms part of a ‘dirty tricks campaign’ to discredit the flotilla. In another major developing story, the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Evening Standard, Daily Telegraph and Times note that Sheikh Raed Salah, an Israeli Arab Islamist extremist, is currently in the UK. Salah was banned from entering the UK, but was apparently allowed to enter due to an error. The Daily Mirror and the Times note concerns over a recent meeting between a senior Conservative Member of Parliament and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The Financial Times has a piece calling for Assad to be investigated for war crimes. The Independent has a piece on military exercises currently under way in Iran. The Times and Reuters note renewed crackdowns on Syrian protestors. BBC Online, meanwhile, runs a piece on the diplomatic activity surrounding the build up to an expected Palestinian unilateral declaration of independence in September.

In the Israeli media, all papers focus on the flotilla, and claims by organisers that Israel has sabotaged some of the ships set to take part in it. Haaretz notes a statement by British Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Alistair Burt, expressing British opposition to the flotilla. Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post note a statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that no citizen is ‘above the law.’ The statement was made following riots protesting the arrest by police in Israel of prominent national religious rabbi Dov Lior. Ynetnews quotes Lior on his arrest. Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post have additional pieces on a Quartet summit to take place in July, which is expected to announce a new peace plan. Ynetnews has an additional piece on a French Senator’s description of visiting Israeli MKs as ‘colonialist.’ Maariv notes anger among some Israeli ministers that they were not presented with evidence that flotilla organisers were planning to carry dangerous chemical substances to Gaza, prior to the evidence being released to the media.