The Independent, Daily Express, Daily Mirror, Independent i and the online edition of the Telegraph all cover comments made by former-prime minister Tony Blair at a conference in Jerusalem to mark the ninetieth birthday of Israel’s President Shimon Peres. Blair warned that the cost for the West of not intervening in Syria could be greater than the price of intervention. He also said that the West may have to take military action to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Writing in the Times, David Aaronovitch argues that although the Iraq War had bred a natural reluctance in Britain to intervene in Syria, the result of inaction could leave a legacy similar to 1990s Bosnia or 1930s Spain instead. The Guardian online reports on Prime Minister David Cameron’s comments to the House of Commons yesterday on the issue in which he highlighted the need for a political solution in Syria but did not rule out arming some opposition groups. Meanwhile, the Telegraph online covers a Save the Children report highlighting the plight of children fleeing Syria. The Independent online notes that a large multi-national military exercise, involving 8,000 troops from nineteen countries is underway in Jordan, suggesting it could become a staging ground for potential direct international support for Syria’s opposition.

The online editions of the Times and Guardian report on a ruling by the UK Supreme Court, overturning a Treasury decision to blacklist an Iranian bank under counter-terrorism laws, on the grounds that the Treasury did not follow correct procedure.

The Financial Times online reports on an announcement yesterday by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that sixty per-cent of the country’s recently discovered natural gas will be retained for domestic use, but that the profits of gas exports will add an estimated £39billion to the state coffers. The decision had been eagerly anticipated by investors developing Israel’s natural gas fields. The Independent covers the firing of three rockets yesterday morning from the Gaza Strip which landed in southern Israel. No injuries or damage was reported in the first incident of its kind since April. The Telegraph online says that a former South African ambassador to Israel has criticised Israeli government policy towards Bedouin in the south of the country, likening it to apartheid. Israel’s foreign ministry said the comments were “diametrically opposed” to the ambassador’s views during his three years in Israel.

Most of the front-page headlines in the Israeli media are devoted to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s announcement yesterday over the future of Israel’s natural gas reserves, including Yediot Ahronot, Maariv and Israel Hayom. The reports, including a major item in Haaretz note sharp criticism of the decision by Labour Party head and leader of the opposition Shelly Yachimovich, who pledged to challenge it in the High Court of Justice. Yachimovich accused the government of capitulation to big business by agreeing to export too much of the state’s assets. Israel Radio news reports that dozens of protesters from social and environmental groups demonstrated in Tel Aviv against the decision announced by Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, Maariv gives particular prominence to criticism levelled at IDF head of Central Command, Maj.Gen. Nitzan Alon, who warned that the failure of US Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to kick-start peace talks could lead to increased violence in the West Bank. His comments were slammed by some politicians including Likud MK Limor Livnat, who branded Alon’s comments as “political” and said that they were liable to increase tensions. Writing in Maariv, Shalom Yerusahlmi defends Alon’s remarks.

Israel Radio news also notes comments by Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon who said that the West should intensify sanctions on Iran to force Tehran to choose between nuclear development and economic survival.