The Guardian online reports that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the international group overseeing the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons, has confirmed that Syria’s government has signed a declaration confirming details of its gas and nerve agent programme and the plan to destroy it. This is in compliance with the timetable set out for Syria’s chemical disarmament. The report also says in Syria itself, fighting has taken place between President Assad’s forces and al-Qaeda affiliate groups north of Damascus while in the north Lebanese city of Tripoli a further two people were killed in clashes between groups affiliated to opposing sides of the Syrian civil war. Several people were killed in similar clashes in Tripoli last week.

The online editions of the Times and Telegraph report that 19 of the most influential opposition groups in Syria, have issued a joint statement rejecting the proposed United Nations-sponsored Geneva II peace conference, scheduled to take place towards the end of November. The groups called the proposed conference between opposition groups and the Assad government “a conspiracy” against revolution in Syria. The Telegraph online says the Syrian National Coalition, the Western-backed representative opposition body, will decide by 9 November whether or not to attend the Geneva II talks.

The film choice section of the Independent and Independent i both recommend this week’s television screening of Israeli-made partially-animated documentary Walz with Bashir, an autobiographical recollection of the 1982 Lebanon War.

The main story in Israeli media is the approval given yesterday by a ministerial committee for the release of a second group of twenty six Palestinian prisoners, as part of an agreement with the Palestinian Authority (PA) prior to the resumption of peace talks in July. It is the top item in Maariv, Makor Rishon and Israel Hayom which says that the cabinet approved the release with “a heavy heart.” Yediot Ahronot focuses on the reaction of the families whose loved ones were killed by those slated for release. Meanwhile, Haaretz emphasises “cracks in the coalition” over the release, Jewish Home yesterday failed in an attempt to pass legislation which would have prevented further Palestinian prisoner releases. The move sparked irate exchanges between Jewish Home and other coalition politicians.

Writing in Yediot Ahronot, Shimon Shiffer says “The Israeli government is not in danger of breaking up for now,” while in the same publication Nahum Barnea argues that as a coalition member, “Jewish Home can blame only itself for the prisoner release” and is free to leave the government if it “infuriates them so much.”

Israel Radio reports this morning that two rockets were fired from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip at the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon overnight. The Iron Dome missile-defence system intercepted one of the rockets and another was reported to have landed in an open area.

Meanwhile, Israel Radio news also says Israel will today resume cooperation with the United Nations’ Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Eighteen months ago, Israel decided to withdraw cooperation in protest at the body’s overwhelming condemnation of Israel in comparison to other countries; and its institutional bias due to the numerical dominance of countries hostile towards Israel. Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin is quoted saying that Israel will return to the UNHRC after an agreement was reached to hold a vote on Israel’s inclusion as a full member in the council’s Western European and Others group.