Both the Guardian and Independent i cover the publication yesterday of an edited video by Defence for Children International – Palestine Section, which raised questions over the deaths of two Palestinian teenagers killed last week in clashes with Israeli security forces in the West Bank during protests to mark ‘Naqba Day’. The video, based on CCTV film, purports to show that neither teenager was acting in a threatening manner towards Israeli soldiers at the time they were shot. The IDF launched an investigation into the incident last week, maintaining that soldiers were endangered by serious rioting but did not use live ammunition.

The Independent and Independent i report controversy over Pope Francis’s itinerary for his upcoming two-day visit to Israel and Palestinian areas of the West Bank, which begins on Sunday. Palestinian leaders have complained that he will visit the tomb of Theodor Herzl, the founding father of modern Zionism. Meanwhile, Israeli officials are unhappy that he will enter Palestinian Authority territory directly from Jordan and not via Israel, giving the impression of tacit recognition for full Palestinian sovereignty. Meanwhile, the Telegraph says that former residents of the Christian village of Iqrit in northern Israel, who were forced to leave their homes during the 1948 War of Independence, will ask Pope Francis to appeal to Israel’s government for the re-establishment of the village.

The online edition of the Times features a new animated video clip produced by Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs, which warns against the dangers of allowing Iran to maintain the means of uranium enrichment. The article describes the clip as a “cute cartoon” designed for an American audience. In Iran itself, the Times online also reports that six young Iranians have been arrested for having filmed their own interpretation of the Pharrell Williams hit song “Happy”, in which they are alleged to have dressed and behaved inappropriately.

The Times reports that in Syria, President Assad’s forces have launched an offensive in the south of the country, with fighting taking place close to the border with Israel. The Guardian online says that Russia will veto a United Nations resolution to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) if it comes to a Security Council vote on Thursday. The print edition of the Guardian includes an interview with the Syrian opposition fighter responsible for the huge tunnel explosion which destroyed Aleppo’s Carlton Citadel hotel last week, who says that a Palestinian gave him the idea to carry out such attacks.

The Telegraph online says that Egyptian presidential candidate Abdul Fatah al-Sisi, who is widely expected to win next week’s election by a significant margin, has not made any public campaign appearances for fear of an assassination attempt against him.

In the Israeli media, both Maariv and Haaretz prominently cover the video which was released yesterday indicating that the two Palestinian teenagers killed by IDF fire during West Bank violence last week were not posing a threat to soldiers. The IDF said the tape was tendentiously edited and a limited investigation would be launched. Writing in Maariv, Ben Caspit warns that the tape may have been doctored as there are Palestinian elements who “specialize in creating provocations of this kind.”

Israel Hayom leads with the continued dispute over the defence budget, with IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz yesterday warning that cuts would seriously weaken Israel’s military preparedness. However, Yediot Ahronot reports that the Finance Ministry has pledged that the Defence Ministry “won’t receive even another shekel.”

Yediot Ahronot also says that former Foreign Minister David Levy is being courted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a candidate for the upcoming presidential election. The article suggests that Netanyahu wants to line up another Likud affiliated candidate in case Minister Silvan Shalom decides not to run. Although current Likud MK and former Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin has already submitted his candidacy, there is deep antipathy between him and Netanyahu.