The Independent reports that the scheduled release this weekend of a fourth and final batch of Palestinian prisoners, which Israel agreed in July in order to allow the resumption of peace talks, has been delayed. No official announcement was made, but Israel’s government is required to release a list of prisoners to be freed 48 hours in advance to allow for the chance of a legal appeal. Such a list has not yet been published. Israel wants a Palestinian Authority (PA) commitment to extend peace talks before a release, while the PA insists Israel must fulfil its commitment to free prisoners regardless.

The Times says that the Iranian government is facing internal criticism after Sunni Islamist extremists on its border with Pakistan executed a kidnapped Iranian soldier after Tehran refused the group’s demands to release prisoners. Angry Iranians apparently compared its government’s failure to act with the commitment of Israel’s government to secure the return of kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit in 2011.

Meanwhile, an editorial in the Times says that under the rule of President Rouhani, internal oppression in Iran is “more subtle and insidious” than under his predecessor but prevalent nonetheless. The article argues that if the Tehran regime “stifles liberty at home, it is liable to be diplomatically untrustworthy too.”

In the Financial Times, David Gardner analyses the huge challenges facing General al-Sisi, who is widely expected to be elected Egypt’s next president after he announced his candidacy earlier this week. Gardner concludes that “populism and putsch-ism is not the answer” to Egypt’s future.

Meanwhile, the Telegraph online reports that in the midst of its violent and protracted civil war, Syria has announced the launch of a new commercial airline, called Kinda Airlines, which is scheduled to reach ten destinations over the coming months.

In the Israeli media, the front page headlines are dominated by the latest developments in the ‘Holyland’ case against former-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is accused of accepting bribes to smooth over the construction of a large real estate project during his time as Jerusalem Mayor. The state has requested that the verdict, scheduled for Monday be delayed after a plea bargain was agreed between the State Attorney’s Office and Olmert’s former aide Shula Zaken, who will now testify against Olmert and serve an 11-month prison sentence for her role in the affair. The dramatic development is the top story in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Haaretz, Sof Hashavua and Israel Hayom.

Meanwhile, Maariv reports that Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Lieberman could throw his support and presumably that of his party behind former-Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik in the race to become Israel’s next president. Itzik is one of several assumed candidates and the report says that the former-Labour and Kadima MK will have the unlikely support of Lieberman if current Likud minister Silvan Shalom is not a candidate owing to allegations of sexual harassment against him.

Israel Radio news reports on the conclusion of an IDF investigation into the ‘friendly fire’ incident which killed Capt. Tal Nachman last month. The investigation found that there were operational and planning failures ahead of the mission and four soldiers and officers have been dismissed as a result.