The Financial Times reports that Israel’s government will ask the European Union (EU) to freeze its new guidelines regarding funding Israeli projects and ventures, which is set to include a comprehensive clause prohibiting their application to entities based in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. The article also mentions US Secretary of State John Kerry’s latest trip to the region and a statement from the Arab League in support of his plans to re-start Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

The Guardian online covers the Congressional confirmation hearing of Samantha Power, nominated as the incoming United States’ Ambassador to the United Nations (UN). During the hearing, Power pledged to end the “unacceptable bias and attacks” on Israel at the UN. Meanwhile, the Telegraph online reports that Iran’s new President Hassan Rowhani yesterday dismissed Israel’s ability to take military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities and referred to Israel as “a miserable regional country.”

In an interview with the Telegraph online, the outgoing head of Armed Forces, Sir David Richards warned that the creation of a no-fly zone in Syria would necessitate the destruction of Syrian air defences, in what would be tantamount to “declaring war” on the country. Meanwhile, the Times, Guardian, Independent, Evening Standard and the online editions of the Telegraph and Financial Times report that a prominent pro-Assad television commentator was assassinated at his home in Lebanon, in another sign that the Syrian civil war is spilling over into its neighbouring country.

The Guardian online covers protests in Cairo yesterday by thousands of supporters of Mohammed Morsi, unhappy that the country’s new interim cabinet does not include any Islamists. However, Egyptian military officials say that both the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafist parties rejected offers to join the interim government. The Times includes a feature on Islamic Jihad leader Aboud al-Zomor, who intends to see his Salafist political faction step into the Islamist political vacuum in Egypt created by the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Meanwhile, the Evening Standard reports that Transport for London (TfL) will re-write its contract with Dubai-owned Emirates Airlines, which is sponsoring a cable car in Greenwich. The original contract appeared to prevent TfL from entering into further agreements regarding the project with Israeli-owned or backed businesses.

In the Israeli media, attempts by Israeli leaders to at least soften the impact or suspend the new EU guidelines on funding Israeli entities, features heavily. Israel Hayom says that Israel is arguing that the initiative will damage John Kerry’s efforts to re-start peace talks while Maariv reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked Kerry himself to intervene. Makor Rishon says that Netanyahu has asked EU leaders to reconsider the guidelines, while Israel Radio news reports more specifically that Netanyahu spoke to President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso. Maariv also claims that Israel is considering pulling out of an EU scientific project in response to the new guidelines.

Meanwhile, there is also significant coverage of John Kerry’s talks yesterday with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas and Arab League leaders in Amman. Haaretz and Makor Rishon in particular report that progress was made in reaching an agreement to re-start Israeli-Palestinian talks, while Israel Radio news says that Abbas has called a meeting of Palestinian leaders in Ramallah today to discuss his meeting with Kerry.