There is significant coverage this morning of the imminent formation of a new Israeli government. The Financial Times and Independent provide an overview of the protracted negotiations and the composition of the coalition-in-waiting, which includes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-Beitenu faction, Yesh Atid, Jewish Home and Hatnuah, but excludes ultra-Orthodox parties, a point also emphasised by the Evening Standard. The Independent i highlight a last minute sticking point in the coalition agreement, with Netanyahu refusing to appoint Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and Jewish Home head Naftali Bennett as Deputy Prime Ministers, a largely ceremonial title. Meanwhile, the Guardian says that the inclusion of Tzipi Livni in the new administration may provide hope of reinvigorating the peace process, although the Telegraph focuses on prominent figures in the new government who advocate settlements in the West Bank.

The Guardian, Times and Daily Mail all report that there are low expectations ahead of US President Obama’s visit to Israel and the region next week, with the trip not expected to result in any major achievement regarding the peace process. The White House confirmed yesterday that Obama will bring no new peace initiative during his visit and that Iran’s nuclear development will be a significant focus of talks with regional leaders. Writing in the Independent, Mary Dejevsky strikes a more upbeat tone, arguing that there exists a small window of opportunity available for Obama to lead a new peace initiative.

Meanwhile, the Guardian, Financial Times and the Times cover comments made by the IDF head of military intelligence, Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, who yesterday told the Herzliya policy conference that Iran and Hezbollah are financing and training a popular 50,000 strong army in Syria to help prop up President Assad’s regime, which is also poised to maintain a strategic foothold in the country should Assad be deposed. The Times and the online editions of the Guardian, Telegraph, Financial Times and Independent report that Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande will interrupt the scheduled agenda at today’s European Council summit in Brussels to insist that the European Union arms embargo on Syria is lifted, paving the way for arming moderate Syrian opposition groups. Germany is expected to lead opposition to such a move.

The front page headline in Yediot Ahronot and Israel Hayom focuses on an incident near the West Bank city of Ariel yesterday evening, in which rocks hurled onto a major road appeared to cause a collision between a car carrying an Israeli family and a truck. The mother, who was driving the car and two of her daughters are in moderate condition while a third is critically ill. Israel Hayom calls it “stone-throwing terror,” while the story is also covered prominently in Maariv and Sof Hashavua. Rock throwing incidents in the West Bank have increased substantially over recent weeks according to Israel Radio News.

Meanwhile, the headline in Sof Hashavua, also reported prominently in Yediot Ahronot and Israel Hayom, focuses on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s refusal to appoint Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett as Deputy Prime Ministers, which has held up a final agreement on Israel’s new coalition government. However, Israel Radio News reports this morning that Lapid and Bennett have agreed to forego the title and that a coalition agreement is expected to be signed later today.

Channel Two last night aired an exclusive interview with US President Obama ahead of his visit to Israel and the region next week, in which he emphasised that he would use the trip as an opportunity to listen to regional leaders. He also reiterated his determination to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Israel Hayom and Maariv highlight Obama’s comments during the interview that although convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard would not be freed from a US prison imminently, he would be granted the same kind of review as others.