The Times includes a feature on the potential impact of proposed European Union (EU) plans to label West Bank goods separately from other Israeli goods. Focusing on the SodaStream factory near Ma’aleh Adumim, located in the West Bank, the article explains that proposed regulations could have a negative impact on the livelihood of the factory’s many Palestinian employees. Meanwhile, the Telegraph reports that Southern Water has agreed to a Brighton couple’s request on ideological grounds to replace their water meter, which is manufactured by Arad Technologies, an Israeli company said to have a presence in the West Bank. Southern Water clarified that the individual decision in this case did not reflect a blanket policy. The Independent online says that Animals’ front man Eric Burdon has cancelled a concert in Israel due fears for his safety after receiving threatening e-mails opposing his appearance.

The Times, Guardian, Telegraph and Financial Times report yesterday’s public call by the head of the Egyptian army, Gen. al-Sisi, for the Egyptian people to take to the streets on Friday in a demonstration of support for the military and its campaign against what he called “terrorism.” However, supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood fear that Gen. al-Sisi’s call for mass protests will lead to violence against them. The Times and the Guardian both note that the Pentagon yesterday announced that the United States has decided to delay the delivery of four F-16 fighter jets to Egypt due to what it termed “a fluid situation.” In the Independent and its’ sister publication Independent i, Kim Sengupta writes that there is popular anti-US sentiment in both the pro-military camp and among Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Egypt.

The Guardian includes a special feature on Syria’s refugees and estimates that one quarter of all Syrians have now been displaced from their homes either inside or outside the country. An editorial in the Telegraph argues that President Assad’s staying power and apparent recent increase in strength is a blow to the credibility of the UK, US and France, which have all insisted that Assad will play no part in governing Syria’s future.

The Guardian online reports that no official UK representative has been invited to the inauguration of Iran’s new President Hassan Rowhani. In what is being viewed as an indication that Iran is looking to end its international isolation, world leaders have been invited to next month’s inauguration for the first time. However, the Times suggests that former-Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was invited to the ceremony but cannot attend due to personal commitments. However, Straw is said to be keen to visit Tehran soon and has championed Rowhani, who he got to know at nuclear talks during his time in office.

The major headline in this morning’s Israeli media is the results of yesterday’s elections for Israel’s Chief Rabbis. Rabbi David Lau was elected as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi while Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef was chosen as the Sephardi Chief Rabbi. Both are sons of former chief rabbis themselves and both are considered to represent the ultra-Orthodox camp. As such, their election is viewed as a major victory for Shas over Jewish Home, which had endorsed Lau and Yosef’s rivals. Yediot Ahronot calls it a “Victory for the princes,” while Israel Hayom refers to a win for the “Next generation.” Focusing on the political aspect of the vote, Maariv’s headline declares “Shas’s victory over Jewish Home” while Haaretz calls it an “Ultra-Orthodox victory over religious Zionism.” In Maariv, Shalom Yerushalmi says that the results are a significant personal victory for Shas leader Aryeh Deri.

In other news, both Maariv and Israel Hayom report that a Jewish man was stabbed in the toilets of a Jerusalem park yesterday, in what is suspected to have been an act of terrorism.