Yesterday’s diplomatic developments regarding Syria dominate this morning’s headlines. Following US Secretary of State John Kerry’s seemingly off-hand suggestion that Syria’s swift chemical disarmament could avert military action, Russia offered to ensure that such a process take place. By the end of the day, US President Barack Obama appeared to cautiously welcome the suggestion. The Guardian, Times, Telegraph and Financial Times cover yesterday’s events, including Obama’s struggle to convince US lawmakers of the need for military action. The Independent notes that Russia’s suggestion received the support of the United Nations’ Secretary General. The Telegraph, Independent and Independent i also cover Syrian President Assad’s interview on CBS in which he warned to “expect anything” should the United States strike his country. The Financial Times includes a report that Jordan fears that it could pay the price for US military action in Syria.

In the Guardian online, Julian Borger outlines the potential process of disarming Syria’s chemical stockpile, which he estimates is stored in around forty locations. He questions whether Russia really has the leverage to oversee such a task. Writing in the Telegraph online, Peter Foster says that Obama can be expected to grasp the Russian suggestion, as it would alleviate both the short-term Syrian chemical threat and the need for a Congressional vote that he might lose.

The Guardian reports that Egypt’s military has launched a significant assault on Islamist groups in the Sinai Peninsula, which borders both Israel and the Gaza Strip. The area has become increasingly lawless and a growing base for launching attacks against Egyptian military positions since the fall of Mohammed Morsi. The report says that Egyptian forces have destroyed most of the smuggling tunnels to Hamas-controlled Gaza as part of the operation.

The online editions of the Times, Telegraph and Independent report that senior Iranian government officials, including President Hassan Rowhani have recently opened Facebook accounts, angering ordinary Iranians who are banned from using the social network. The Telegraph online covers a significant archaeological discovery in Jerusalem, where the Hebrew University announced the discovery of a hoard of gold coins from the Byzantine era depicting Jewish symbols, which were unearthed on the Temple Mount around fifty yards from the al-Aqsa mosque compound.

International diplomacy regarding Syria is the major story in this morning’s Israeli media. The front page headline in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Haaretz and Makor Rishon is the Russian proposal to oversee the removal and neutralisation of Syria’s chemical stockpile. A report in Maariv claims that officials in the Prime Minister’s Office believe such a development would strengthen Prime Minister Netanyahu’s contention that only a credible threat can deter countries such as Syria and Iran from amassing weapons of mass destruction. However, in the same publication, Dr Mordechai Kedar writes that friends of the United States “must draw conclusions” over what extent they can now place their faith in US promises and guarantees when it comes to strategic decisions.

Meanwhile, Makor Rishon reports that the European Union will display flexibility and soften its stance over new guidelines that it set out regarding funding for Israeli institutions, which have placed Israel’s participation in the EU’s Horizon 2020 research programme in doubt. EU officials are set to meet Israeli counterparts this week to discuss the issue. The same report says that Deputy Foreign Minister Ze’ev Elkin has rejected a Foreign Ministry report that found no internal fault over why Jerusalem was taken by surprise by the new EU guidelines.

Yediot Ahronot and Israel Radio news both report that strains of the polio virus were discovered in the water system in the Jerusalem region for the first time. A national vaccination campaign began last month.