The Financial Times reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to be asked to form a new government on Wednesday after he received the backing of a majority of MPs in the new parliament. President Reuven Rivlin is set to receive the final results of last week’s parliamentary elections on Wednesday and to call upon Netanyahu to assemble a governing coalition. Once formally selected by Israel’s figurehead President, Netanyahu will have a month to build an administration with a parliamentary majority, a task that will involve horse-trading ministerial portfolios for political allegiance.

In the Guardian, a founding member of the band Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, writes: “If you believe in human rights, Madonna, don’t play Tel Aviv”, referencing the singer’s acceptance of an invitation to perform at the Eurovision ceremony in May. Waters argues that until the Israeli government recognises the Palestinians’ right to self-determination, artists should stay away.

The Independent reports that scientists in Israel have said they have produced the world’s first 3D printed heart using human tissue. Researchers at Tel Aviv University say the miniature organ was made with a patient’s cells and came complete with blood vessels, ventricles and chambers. They now believe that a full-sized human heart could one day be produced using the same technology – saving the lives of hundreds of people who die each year awaiting transplants.

The BBC reports that Saudi Arabia’s most prominent women’s rights activists are due to appear in court in Riyadh on Wednesday. The women were arrested last May and charged with various offences including spying. They had been campaigning for an end to the country’s male guardianship system and for the right to drive, before the ban was lifted last June. Since then, horrific details have emerged of their alleged mistreatment at the hands of the Saudi authorities. On Tuesday, Walid al-Hathloul, the brother of one of the best-known activists, Loujain al-Hathloul, told the BBC his sister was so traumatised by what had happened to her that she wanted to remain in jail, afraid of how her reputation had been unfairly smeared in her absence. In February a group of British MPs carried out an investigation, supported by a number of international human rights organisations, into the allegations of mistreatment of Ms Hathloul and other female activists. They concluded that the allegations were credible.

The BBC, Reuters and the Guardian report that US President Donald Trump has vetoed a bill passed by Congress to end support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. The BBC reports that Trump described the resolution as an “unnecessary” and “dangerous” attempt to weaken his constitutional powers. It is only the second time Trump has used his presidential veto since he took office in 2017. The resolution passed the House of Representatives in April and the Senate in March, the first time both chambers had supported a War Powers resolution, which limits the President’s ability to send troops into action. “This resolution is an unnecessary, dangerous attempt to weaken my constitutional authorities, endangering the lives of American citizens and brave service members, both today and in the future,” Trump said in the veto message. The House Speaker, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, was among those to condemn President Trump for the move.

The Times reports that, according to Libya’s internationally recognised government, the battle for Tripoli could lead to hundreds of Islamic State fighters escaping from jails and joining a wave of migrants fleeing the Libyan capital in boats across the Mediterranean. At least 174 people have been killed, 756 injured and 18,250 forced from their homes since Khalifa Haftar, who controls much of the east of Libya, ordered his troops to storm Tripoli and defeat the UN-backed administration. Marshal Haftar’s air force has bombed parts of the city and fought with militias in the southwestern suburbs since the attack began this month. On a flying visit to Rome to secure more international support, Ahmad Maitig, the deputy prime minister in the Tripoli government, said that if the city fell it would cause chaos, and that the security of 400 ISIS prisoners held in the city’s jails and in neighbouring Misrata could no longer be guaranteed. “If war continues, how can we keep these prisoners?” he said. His government has told European governments that a civil war could lead to 800,000 migrants and Libyans seeking safety and crossing the Mediterranean.

The Independent reports that a key official has told the newspaper that the United Nations is probing allegations that the United Arab Emirates shipped weapons to support a Libyan warlord’s faction, in violation of an international arms embargo. The UN has been investigating numerous allegations of arms shipments to either of the two sides in the years-long Libyan conflict. But coming under particular scrutiny by international officials and Libya experts are allegations that the UAE, an ally of the UK, US, and France, shipped weapons to Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar even after the self-styled field marshal declared the head of the UN-backed authority in Tripoli, Fayez al-Sarraj, a “terrorist” and issued a warrant for his arrest and other civilian officials.

The BBC, the Times, and the Guardian report that Egypt’s parliament has approved constitutional amendments that would allow President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to stay in power until 2030. The BBC reports that Sisi is due to stand down in 2022, when his second four-year term ends. But the amendments, which must be put to a referendum within 30 days, would lengthen his current term to six years and allow him to stand for one more. They would also give Sisi more power over the judiciary and further enshrine the military’s role in politics.

In the Financial Times, Najmeh Bozorgmehr writes: “Flood relief reveals complex role of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard”. Bozorgmehr reports from Khuzestan province in Iran, where volunteers from the Guard are providing aid to the victims of recent floods. These efforts, argues Bozorgmehr, highlight the widening activities of a group branded a terrorist organisation by the US.

The Guardian reports that Iran’s parliament has overwhelmingly approved a bill labelling US forces in the Middle East as terrorist, a day after Washington’s terrorism label for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard formally took effect. The Defence Minister, Gen Amir Hatami, introduced the bill on Tuesday authorising the government to act firmly in response to “terrorist actions” by US forces. It demands authorities use “legal, political and diplomatic” measures to neutralise the American move, without elaborating.

The Times reports that Turkish President Erdogan’s son-in-law, whom he appointed as economy minister nine months ago, has held a series of disastrous meetings with hundreds of US investors, with some calling it their worst encounter with a holder of the office. Berat Albayrak, 41, flew to Washington late last week to try to breathe life into the Turkish economy and currency, which have been failing since Erdogan, 65, centralised almost all powers in his hands. Turkey’s muzzled media has largely hailed the trip as a success, focusing on Albayrak’s discussions yesterday with President Trump and Jared Kushner, the US president’s son-in-law, in which they touted having tripled trade to $75 billion. However, one investor said that it was “one of the worst performances from a finance minister I have seen”. Another told Axios, a news website, they had “never seen someone from an administration that unprepared”. A fund manager described it as “a shit-show”.

All the Israeli media report the Likud’s victory celebrations last night and quote Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to his supporters with a Passover theme, he asked: “How is this night different from all other nights? This night is entirely sweet, without any bitter herbs, thanks to you. Thank you for electing our excellent team. We made an historic achievement. I promise to work on behalf of all of you, and on behalf of all the citizens of Israel. I want all parts of Israeli society, Jews and non-Jews alike, to be an inseparable part of the great success story that is called the State of Israel. I want all of you to enjoy the prosperity, the flourishing and the progress. We will continue to look out for everyone; we will continue to deliver prosperity to everyone; and we will safeguard everyone’s security.” Criticising the media he said: “Last weekend I watched television. I thought I hadn’t heard right. Learned commentators sat in the studios and sent me explicit threats. They threatened that if I were to appoint one of our talented colleagues as justice minister, if I were to act on the mandate from the voter, I would pay dearly for that, a personal price. Do you understand that? The citizens of Israel gave us their full confidence, clear-cut and unequivocal confidence, and those commentators warned us and threatened us with exacting a personal price. They call that ‘democracy and the rule of law.’ But every time we give them a lesson in democracy at the ballot boxes. I’m not scared by threats and I’m not deterred by the media.”

Maariv focuses on the ultra-Orthodox coordinating their positions ahead of their negotiations with the Likud. United Torah Judaism (UTJ) held a meeting in Bnei Brak, where they celebrated their eighth seat. The party decided to cooperate and coordinate positions with Shas. They said: “The party decided that we will insist that anyone who studies Torah and anyone for whom Torah is their profession will be able to continue to study undisturbed and we will insist on this firmly” in response to Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman’s comment that he could force new elections if his demands for military conscription of ultra-Orthodox students are not met. The Union of Right Wing Parties announced yesterday that it would insist on the justice and education ministries.

In Yediot Ahronoth, Ben-Dror Yemini writes: “There are few issues on which Israelis—secular and religious, left-wing voters and right-wing voters—are in as much agreement as on the issue of equality in sharing the burden. That doesn’t mean that there is any chance that the ultra-Orthodox will face compulsory conscription from one day to the next. But the majority of Israelis are demanding a change. Avigdor Lieberman has a role to play. He has said that he would not compromise on the military conscription bill that, as noted, isn’t the best solution, but it is the least-bad solution. If the ultra-Orthodox parties choose to oppose that arrangement too, that will serve as excellent grounds for a crisis in forming the next coalition government. A crisis of that kind will lead to one of two outcomes: either a unity government will be formed or new elections will be held. Both outcomes appear to be far-fetched. Experience teaches us that politicians know how to compromise.”

Israel Hayom includes an exclusive interview with former National Security Adviser Jacob Nagel. Regarding the Palestinians, Nagel says: “Our maximum concessions fail to meet their minimum demands and, as such, there’s no one to talk to, there’s nothing to talk about and there isn’t even a place to meet. Should we conquer Gaza? Should we defeat Hamas? I’m in favour, but what will we do afterwards? Who will replace it and fill the vacuum? Action needs to be preceded by thought. The only solution is for a Sadat-like figure to rise to power from among them and to change the thinking. We used to think that Abu Mazen would be that kind of leader, but he hasn’t delivered the goods, either in Gaza or in Judea and Samaria. They need someone from within.”

Kan news notes reports that IDF forces operating in the village Kobar last night demolished the home of Salah Barghouti, the terrorist who committed the shooting attack in Ofra. Amiad Yisrael, who was an infant, was killed in that attack. His mother sustained serious injuries and his father sustained moderate injuries.