This morning’s Financial Times covers recent polling trends in Israel ahead of this month’s election, which indicate a drop in support for the joint Likud-Beitenu list headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the expense of its right-wing rival, the Jewish Home party, led by Netanyahu’s former chief of staff Naftali Bennett. However, Likud-Beitenu is still set to become comfortably the largest party list in the next Knesset. The article notes that Likud-Beitenu has now switched campaign tactics from criticising Bennett to attacking perceived extreme views of prominent Jewish Home candidates.

Meanwhile, the Telegraph covers a new report by the intelligence unit of Israel’s foreign ministry, which predicts that Iran’s ability to respond to a potential Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities has been seriously impaired by the dramatic weakening of President Assad’s regime in Syria. The report, presented to Israeli ambassadors in Jerusalem this week apparently claims that Syria’s weakness will constrain Hezbollah, which relies on Syria as a conduit for Iranian weapons and support. The article also notes that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned yesterday that Syria could be heading for disintegration into “emirates” or religious fiefdoms. The Telegraph online also reports on the latest violence in Syria’s conflict. Opposition forces yesterday battled with government troops to take control of the strategically important Aleppo international airport and the Taftanaz airbase in the northwest of the country.

In the Israeli media this morning, Yediot Ahronot, Maariv and Israel Hayom devote prominent headlines to the announcement yesterday by Labour Party leader Shelly Yachimovich that her party will not join a government led by Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Likud-Beitenu list. Yachimovich had previously declined to reveal her party’s post-election intentions. Her announcement was criticised by Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid who accused Yachimovich of “erasing the chance of forming a Zionist non-messianic government,” while Hatnuah leader Tzipi Livni said critically “I don’t think we should throw our hands up in the air.” Meanwhile, Likud’s Gilad Erdan said Yachimovich was trying to placate her “extreme left-wing list.”

Several dailies, including new weekly publication Sof Hashavua, release further polls this morning in their weekend editions. In summary, they indicate that in the upcoming election the Likud-Beitenu list is likely to receive 34-36 seats, Labour is set to win 16-18 mandates, Jewish Home 13-14 seats, with Shas on 11 seats, Yesh Atid 9-11 and Hatnuah 9-10.  Maariv reports on a clash between IDF troops and Palestinians that took place yesterday in Jenin in the West Bank. An Israeli army patrol entered the city to arrest an Islamic Jihad operative, but was confronted with a 500-strong crowd of stone and firebomb-throwing Palestinians as it exited the city following the operation. Yesterday’s disturbance follows a similar incident in another part of the West Bank earlier this week, as tensions appear to be simmering in the area.   Meanwhile, Israel Radio News this morning reports that Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has called on the United Nations Security Council to make an immediate statement about Israeli construction in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.