The Independent reports that there is significant political debate among Israeli leaders over the possibility and potential impact of calls in Europe to boycott Israeli goods and investments. The article notes differences of opinion between Finance Minister and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, who has warned of the financial impact of such initiatives on Israeli citizens and Economy Minister and Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett, who maintains that Israeli policy should not be impacted by boycott threats.

Meanwhile, the Times reports that a Knesset committee approved a controversial clause in a proposed bill to mandate ultra-Orthodox military enlistment, which would see ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers face criminal sanctions. The bill is set for final readings in the Knesset during the coming few weeks.

The Guardian online includes a feature on an Israeli government-funded programme for Eritrean and Ethiopian survivors of slavery who were imprisoned and tortured in the Sinai Peninsula as they made their way towards Israel’s border.

The Guardian, Financial Times and Metro report that Iranian officials and representatives of the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) agreed on a timetable and agenda for further talks to reach a long-term solution over Iran’s nuclear development. The two sides ended two days of talks in Vienna on an upbeat note with negotiations set to resume next month. Both the Guardian and Financial Times say that lead US negotiator Wendy Sherman will travel to Israel today to brief Israeli leaders on the talks.

The Independent i covers the latest International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report which records a fall in Iran’s 20 per cent enriched uranium stocks for the first time in four years. After an interim deal was agreed between Iran and the P5+1 powers in November, the Iranian stockpile fell from 196kg to 161kg.

The Telegraph reports that Britain and Iran yesterday officially resumed direct, bilateral diplomatic ties. The announcement formalizes the exchange of non-resident charge d’affaires. Britain closed its embassy in Tehran in 2011 after it was ransacked by a violent crowd.

In another example of Syria’s violence spilling over into neighbouring Lebanon, the Independent, Independent i and the online edition of the Times all report that two people were shot dead in Tripoli yesterday, one an Alawite military commander, hailing from the same ethnic community as President Assad.

The Guardian online says that Egyptian army helicopter gunships yesterday struck targets in the Sinai Peninsula, which borders Israel, killing at least 10 Islamist fighters. The operation comes after an Islamist group bombed a tourist bus in Sinai at the start of the week, killing several South Korean tourists.

In the Israeli media, Yediot Ahronot focuses on anger expressed by ultra-Orthodox Knesset members over the proposed legislation to mandate drafting ultra-Orthodox seminary students, which took a significant step forward this week. They accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “betrayal” and MK Meir Porush indicated that ultra-Orthodox factions would not support a Likud candidate for President. In Sof Hashavua, Ben Caspit asks whether the proposed legislation itself will really achieve its stated aim.

Meanwhile, Maariv suggests that the United States has proposed an innovative solution to the Palestinian refusal to recognise Israel as a characteristically Jewish state. Apparently, US officials have suggested that the United Nations and Arab League would grant such recognition, relieving the Palestinian Authority of the necessity to do so explicitly.

Israel Radio news reports this morning that the Knesset Caucus for the Land of Israel sent Prime Minister Netanyahu a letter strongly opposing the idea of a construction freeze in the West Bank in the near future, with rumours circulating that the United States will request such a move to enable peace talks to continue. The letter was signed by deputy ministers from Likud and MKs from Jewish Home and Yisrael Beitenu.