Writing in the Financial Times this morning, John Reed argues that although both Israeli and Palestinian leaders have refrained from taking unilateral actions since the suspension of peace talks last month, the current lull in activity is the “calm before the storm.” He predicts that the installation of a Palestinian unity government backed by Hamas as well as Fatah, thought to be imminent, will spell the end to such restraint.

Both the Telegraph and Guardian report suggestions that the gunman who shot four people at the Jewish Museum in Brussels on Saturday, killing an Israeli couple, was possibly a hired hit man. Both pieces note reports from Israeli dailies that the couple worked in the financial departments of Israeli government bodies.

The Independent i and Evening Standard both cover a clarification provided by Pope Francis yesterday. The Pope, returning from a visit to Israel and the region said that his invitation to both Israel’s President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to the Vatican, which both accepted, was “just to pray” and not for peace mediation.

The Times, Guardian and Financial Times all report that yesterday was declared an impromptu national holiday in Egypt and that today was instituted as a third day of voting in the country’s presidential election. All reports say that the measures appear to have been taken due to fears of a low turnout by presumptive winner Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is keen to see his mandate boosted by strong voter participation. In the Independent, Robert Fisk says that al-Sisi brings with him the promise of stability for Egyptians, including the continued tacit backing of the United States if good relations with Israel are maintained by Cairo.

The online editions of the Telegraph and Financial Times both report that international chemical weapons inspectors in Syria were attacked yesterday by a roadside bomb in Hama Province as they travelled to the site of an alleged chemical gas bomb attack. None of the inspectors were injured.

In Iran, the Guardian online says that an Iranian-born British woman has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment over alleged blasphemous comments that she made on Facebook. Meanwhile, the Times reports that young Iranians have produced a series of home-made video versions of the Pharrell Williams hit “Happy” in solidarity with six young Iranians, who were recently arrested after their own clip was deemed “vulgar.”

In the Israeli media, the main item is a number of arrests made yesterday at Ashdod port in connection with allegations of bribery, corruption and extortion. Most prominent among those arrested was chairman of the Ashdod port workers union Alon Hassan, who is suspected of having promoted the interests of private companies. It is the lead item in Maariv and Israel Hayom, which carries the front-page headline “Sea of corruption suspected.” It is also a major story in Yediot Ahronot and Haaretz.

Makor Rishon covers the formal submission of endorsements yesterday by the six presidential candidates who will contest a Knesset vote to succeed Shimon Peres on 10 June. The six confirmed candidates are current MKs Reuven Rivlin, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Meir Sheetrit, plus Dalia Itzik, Dalia Dorner and Dan Shechtman.

Israel Radio news says that the IDF has decided to cease all Israeli Air Force training flights, due to budget cuts. The decision is part of an ongoing dispute between the defence establishment and the Finance Ministry over a reduction in the defence budget.

Meanwhile, the lead story in Yediot Ahronot, which also features prominently in Makor Rishon, is today’s celebration of Jerusalem Day, which marks the anniversary of the city’s re-unification during the Six Day War of 1967.