In the UK media, the Telegraph reports that US Secretary of State John Kerry’s attempts to revive talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders have been stalled after Palestinian leaders appeared to reject his suggestion that an amended version of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative could be a basis for negotiations. The Arab League initiative calls for full Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and East Jerusalem in return for a comprehensive peace across the Arab world. Kerry reportedly proposed softening the language on withdrawal and inserting Israeli security guarantees. However, the Times suggests that the Palestinian leadership has relaxed previous demands of an Israeli settlement freeze as a pre-condition for talks but is demanding a release of Palestinian prisoners as a confidence-building measure.

The online edition of the Guardian reports that the threatened cyber-attack on Israel by the ‘Anonymous’ international hacker group largely failed to make an impact. Meanwhile the Times online says that modesty squads in the Gaza Strip, with at least tacit support from the Hamas regime, are forcibly apprehending men with ‘un-Islamic’ haircuts and shaving them.

The online editions of the Guardian, Telegraph and Independent report on a large suicide bomb in the main business district of the Syrian capital Damascus yesterday, which killed at least fifteen people. Both the Syrian government and opposition forces blamed each other for the attack. The reports in the Telegraph online and Independent online note that United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon said an investigative team is ready to inspect sites in Syria to determine whether chemical weapons have been used during the conflict.

In its coverage of the death of Baroness Thatcher, The Sun notes tributes paid by world leaders, including quotes from Israel’s President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In this morning’s Israeli media, there is significant coverage of John Kerry’s visit to the region and his efforts to kick-start peace talks. It is the front-page headline in Makor Rishon, while in Yediot Ahronot, Alex Fishman says that Kerry’s efforts have so far been scuppered by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas’ demand for some sort of Israeli overture as a pre-condition to negotiations. Israel Radio reports that Abbas will report on his talks with Kerry to an Arab League monitoring committee in Qatar today. Meanwhile, Maariv and Makor Rishon report that there is coalition disquiet over statements by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who will also head any future Israeli talks with the Palestinians, that Israel could drop the demand that the PA recognise Israel as a Jewish State in advance of negotiations.

The death of Baroness Thatcher is also widely covered in the Israeli media this morning. It is a prominent story, with a specific focus on her relationship with Israel in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Israel Hayom, Makor Rishon and Haaretz, which refers to Thatcher as “the woman who changed Britain.”

Meanwhile, another significant item this morning is plans by new Education Minister Shai Piron, to make significant changes to the country’s high school graduation system. Yediot Ahronot calls it a “revolution” in high school education.