The Times says an Israeli ministerial committee met to discuss how to best combat calls to boycott Israel, but that there are divergent opinions on the issue within government. Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who have voiced public concern over boycotts, were excluded from the meeting. Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz apparently suggested that intelligence agencies should work to uncover links between boycotters and terrorist groups or enemy states.

The Times also says the Ministerial Committee on Legislation in Israel approved a bill suggested by Jewish Home MK Shimon Ohayon, mandating that all Israeli schools, including Arab schools, teach that Israel is the nation state solely of the Jewish People. However, the report says that Israel’s Education Ministry opposes the bill, which would need to go through the legislative process before becoming law.

The Independent online includes a feature on an Israeli and a Palestinian heavy metal band which are touring the UK together with a message of peace. The two bands, whose members are long-term friends, view themselves as an unlikely example of Israeli-Palestinian coexistence.

The Independent, Independent i and online edition of the Guardian report on a pristine condition 500kg statue of the Greek god Apollo which was “mysteriously” found by a fisherman in the Gaza Strip. Experts quoted cast doubt on how this potentially priceless archaeological find was discovered.

The online editions of the Guardian, Independent and Telegraph all report that officials from the Assad regime and opposition representatives met again yesterday in Geneva for peace talks. The two sides agreed to extend the ceasefire in Homs to facilitate civilian evacuations and aid for another three days. However, talks on a transitional government are scheduled to begin today with little chance of any agreement. Writing in the Independent, Foreign Secretary William Hague says that the world must act to stop the starvation of Homs and elsewhere in Syria, with the spectre of Srebrinica hanging over these cities.

The Telegraph online says Egyptian authorities have accused the Muslim Brotherhood of having launched a military wing. The same publication reports that Iran has successfully tested two “new generation” long-range ballistic missiles.

In the Israeli media, Maariv says US Secretary of State John Kerry’s long awaited framework plan for final status talks will be shown to Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu during his visit to the White House next month. Apparently, the plan will include recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people, despite the adamant objections of Palestinian Authority officials.

Yediot Ahronot leads with yesterday’s deliberations by a special Knesset committee on widening the military draft. The committee voted to approve reducing the service of men by four months, but did not take a vote on extending service of females or those enrolled in Zionist religious seminaries, which the defence establishment regards as a quid pro quo. Israel Hayom and Israel Radio news both say that Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon will ask for a re-vote. Haaretz also comments on the “clash over shortening service” between the security establishment and MKs.

The lead item in Haaretz, Makor Rishon and Israel Hayom is the ongoing dispute at the two Hadassah Hospitals in Jerusalem. A chronic funding shortage has left staff threatened with pay and benefit cuts, prompting them to take industrial action. According to Maariv and Makor Rishon, Prime Minister Netanyahu called the situation an “executive failure” for which the public is now paying the price.