The Independent this morning covers a poll published earlier this week in Israel, which indicated that at least 57 per cent of Israelis who intend voting for the two major right-wing parties in this month’s election, Likud-Beitenu and Jewish Home, support a two-state solution with certain stipulations. The same survey indicated that at least 67 per cent of the general population support such a plan.

The print edition of the Guardian reports that December was the first month since 2006 in which the number of migrants crossing from Egypt into Israel dropped to zero, due to the near completion of a new enhanced border fence. The article estimates that more than 65,000 migrants, mainly from Eritrea and Sudan have entered Israel illegally since 2006, seeking refuge or better economic conditions. However, the border fence construction was accelerated by Israel’s government after August 2011 when a terrorist attack launched from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula killed eight Israelis.  Meanwhile, the Guardian online reports that the Jewish population of Israel has passed the symbolic six million figure for the first time.

The Telegraph covers a robust response by Israel’s Education Minister Gideon Saar to Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt’s sharp criticism of Israel’s approval to upgrade the status of a college in the West Bank town of Ariel to a university. Saar said that Palestinian incitement is the true obstacle to peace and questioned how the change in status could render the university an impediment to peace.

The Independent and Independent i report that Yaakov Amidror, head of Israel’s National Security Council apparently told a gathering of 150 Israeli envoys that they could “quit or run for political office” if they don’t like Israeli government policy. Amidror’s rebuke came after Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Ron Prosor reportedly questioned the timing of government approval for construction planning in the controversial E1 area of the West Bank. The Independent also includes an obituary of Israel’s former chief of staff and cabinet minister Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, who died last month.

Meanwhile, the Independent i also reports that Israel is permitting the import of building materials for private projects in the Gaza Strip for the first time since 2007, as a result of the ongoing relative quiet in the south of Israel following Operation Pillar of Defence. The Guardian online covers criticism by the press freedom watchdog of Reporters Without Borders of Hamas’ ban on Gaza Strip-based Palestinian journalists from working with Israeli media outlets.

Simon Tisdall writes a feature in the G2 section of this morning’s Guardian analysing Israel-Iran relations, while the Independent online reports on a large-scale Iranian naval drill in the strategic Straits of Hormuz. Elsewhere, the Telegraph online covers comments by a senior Muslim Brotherhood official in Egypt, who has claimed that Israel “will cease to exist within a decade.”

In the Israeli media, Yediot Ahronot leads with comments made yesterday by prominent Likud Party electoral candidates, in support of annexation of Israeli-controlled areas of the West Bank. Public Diplomacy Minister Yuli Edelstein and Coalition Chairman Zeev Elkin yesterday spoke in favour of such a move at a conference in Jerusalem, while Moshe Feiglin, who occupies an electable slot on the Likud-Beitenu list, suggested that Palestinian residents in such areas could be offered financial incentives to move. Meanwhile, both Maariv and Makor Rishon claim that Prime Minister Netanyahu has reprimanded campaign staff and instructed them to end discord within the party over such policies.

A new poll published by Haaretz this morning indicates that support for the joint Likud-Beitenu list has dropped during December. The survey suggests that Likud-Beitenu has lost the support equivalent to five seats, with Jewish Home benefitting with a rise in support.

Meanwhile, Israel Hayom, Haaretz and Makor Rishon give prominent coverage to a violent clash which took place yesterday between Israeli military forces and Palestinians in a West Bank village near Jenin. An undercover Israeli unit arrested an Islamic Jihad activist and then came under attack from a stone-throwing crowd. IDF troops used crowd dispersal methods, including rubber bullets and tear gas, to bring the disturbance under control.