The imminent resumption of direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders dominates media coverage this morning. Following Friday’s announcement by US Secretary of State John Kerry that the two sides have agreed to resume talks, which could begin as early as this week in Washington, the Guardian says that the details of the framework are still shrouded in mystery and the Sun points to doubts on both sides over whether they will produce concrete results. The Financial Times covers the new talks, while the Times, Independent and Independent i all focus on a pledge made yesterday by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold a national referendum on any peace deal which emerges. David Blair analyses the situation in the Telegraph.

The Financial Times covers a vote of European Union (EU) foreign ministers expected today over a UK-led initiative to proscribe the military wing of Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation. Meanwhile, the issue is discussed in a two-way opinion column published in the Guardian, in which Israel’s Justice Minister Tzipi Livni argues for the EU to adopt such a ban, while Sami Ramadani, a senior lecturer at London Metropolitan University makes the case against.

Meanwhile, the new EU guidelines regarding funding Israeli projects and ventures, which include a comprehensive clause prohibiting their application to entities based in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, is discussed in depth by an analysis in the Financial Times.

The Guardian reports that two heavy metal bands, one Israeli and the other Palestinian, have embarked on a joint European tour.

The online editions of the Telegraph and the Guardian cover comments made yesterday by Prime Minister David Cameron over Syria on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show. Cameron conceded that it is unlikely that the UK will arm Syrian opposition groups and that President Assad’s regime has strengthened of late. Cameron referred to it as “a very depressing picture.” In Syria itself, the Independent online reports that Assad’s forces killed dozens of rebels in a Damascus suburb yesterday. Meanwhile, in the Independent print edition, Robert Fisk discusses the deployment of one hundred Irish troops set to bolster the United Nations’ peacekeeping force on the Golan Heights border between Israel and Syria.

The Israeli media this morning is largely dominated by developments and speculation over the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Haaretz and Makor Rishon highlight Prime Minister Netanyahu’s pledge to hold a national referendum on any peace agreement that may be concluded. Israel Hayom says that arrangements are already being made to advance legislation which would pave the way for such a vote. Meanwhile, Yediot Ahronot says that Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who heads Israel’s peace efforts and Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Lieberman are both against the idea of a referendum. Maariv quotes unnamed senior foreign ministry officials who say that the chances of reaching a final status agreement are slim, due to Palestinian intransigence. Israel Radio news reports that the United States will be represented at the negotiations by former-US Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk.

Meanwhile, Yediot Ahronot covers a report by left-wing pressure group Peace Now, which claims that the current government has set a record over the number of West Bank construction permits issued. However, settler groups have accused Peace Now of manipulating statistics.

In other news, both Haaretz and Israel Radio news note that a Knesset vote is expected today on the first reading of the government’s bill to create a more equal military draft. However, Israel Radio news says that the legislative window to pass the bill is narrow, with the Knesset’s summer session coming to a close in a matter of weeks.