The first day of the Geneva II summit is widely covered; all reports agree there was little sign of constructive progress. The Times describes “acrimonious opening exchanges” during which leaders of the Western-backed Syrian opposition and Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister traded accusations of terrorism. The Guardian notes that Syrian opposition leaders highlighted the role of Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards fighting alongside the Assad regime. The Financial Times focuses on the central disagreement over Assad’s role in Syria’s future, with the West and Syrian opposition insisting he cannot remain in power. The Evening Standard highlights comments made at the conference by Foreign Secretary William Hague, who urged both sides to seize the chance for peace.

Meanwhile, the Times online says Prime Minister David Cameron is facing pressure from his deputy Nick Clegg for the UK to grant entry to hundreds of Syrian refugees.

The Telegraph reports that the official aircraft carrying Israel’s leaders and Iran’s delegation to the World Economic Forum in Davos stood poignantly side by side on the tarmac of Zurich airport and that Israeli and Iranian officials even exchanged brief greetings as they disembarked. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani are both set to address the Forum today.

The Independent reports that Rouhani’s strong focus on foreign policy is concerning Iranian reformists, who suspect that it may exhaust his political capital with Tehran’s hardliners, preventing Rouhani from spearheading internal political and social reforms.

The Independent also reports that Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security agency revealed yesterday that it arrested three Palestinian men recruited by al-Qaeda. They planned to carry out high profile terrorist attacks on targets including the United States Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Jerusalem International Conference Centre. One of the suspects had already arranged to travel to Syria for weapons training.

The Guardian says thousands of African migrants yesterday protested outside foreign embassies in Tel Aviv, demonstrating against their unresolved asylum claims and the recent arrest and transfer of some migrants to a detention facility in the south of Israel. It is estimated that more than 50,000 African migrants have entered Israel illegally since 2006 via the country’s border with Egypt. The vast majority have not had their immigration status determined.

In the Israeli media, Maariv reports that Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman held a tense meeting yesterday with European Union (EU) Ambassador to Israel Lars Faaborg-Andersen, who rejected allegations that the EU is one-sided in its approach to the peace process. Israel Radio news reports comments made by Faaborg-Andersen who said Israel would pay a price if peace talks failed. He added that European calls for labelling West Bank goods increase each time Israel announces new settlement construction.

Haaretz and Israel Hayom both highlight the announcement yesterday that an al-Qaeda bomb plot was foiled by the Shin Bet domestic security agency. Three men were arrested, including two Palestinian Jerusalem residents, who were recruited online by an al-Qaeda operative in Gaza.

Writing in Yediot Ahronot, military affairs commentator Alex Fishman comments on the two targeted Israel Air Force strikes this week against Gaza terror operatives responsible for launching rockets against Israel. He says the strikes send a “double message,” that Israel “has no intention of going all out” despite the recent escalation of rocket attacks and that “Israel’s intelligence control of the Gaza Strip is absolute.”

The story covered on the front pages of Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Haaretz, Makor Rishon and Israel Hayom is the tragic death in Jerusalem of two toddler sisters after they inhaled poisonous pesticides which had been used in their home.