The Times says that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing several threats to his leadership, with a general election confirmed yesterday to take place on 17 March. In addition to a potential unified bloc of centre-left factions, several candidates are lining up to challenge Netanyahu for the Likud Party leadership. Most significantly, former Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar is reportedly mulling his candidacy, having left politics just two months ago.

The Independent says that predicted heavy rainfall in southern Israel has raised fears that a massive oil spill last week could impact the delicate ecosystem and coral reef in the Red Sea, just tens of miles from where the oil slick is situated. The spill, which took place when routine maintenance work caused damage to an oil pipeline, is already considered one of Israel’s worst ever ecological disasters.

In Syria, the Times says that Western-backed moderate rebels joined forces with the al-Qaeda linked al-Nusra Front to defeat President Assad’s troops in Daraa Province. The victory apparently provides the opposition forces with an important bargaining chip.

The Financial Times online covers comments made yesterday by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, who took aim at the Revolutionary Guard. The military body is considered to be especially reactionary and also in control of significant financial and economic power within Iran. Rouhani yesterday accused them of corruption.

The Telegraph, Times and the Guardian business sections all report that Israeli businessman Teddy Sagi will float Camden Market, which he owns, on the Alternative Investment Market in order to raise up to £100 million.

In the Israeli media, various aspects of the election campaign grab the headlines. Maariv and Israel Hayom lead with the Knesset’s confirmation yesterday that it will dissolve and that an election will be held on 17 March. Yediot Ahronot leads with a suggestion during yesterday’s Knesset session by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that VAT on basic goods should be scrapped. Both Sever Plocker in Yediot Ahronot and Ben Caspit in Maariv are scathing of Netanyahu’s plan, which they describe as pure electioneering. Maariv’s Arik Bender says that Netanyahu himself has previously rejected three identical initiatives and now the “only goal is to seduce the voters and buy their support in the polls on the cheap.”

Meanwhile, Haaretz leads with the speculation that Labour and Tzipi Livni’s Hatnuah are inching ever closer towards a joint electoral list, suggesting that such an arrangement could be finalised next week. A Maariv poll indicates that a joint Labour-Hatnuah list could form the largest faction in the Knesset.

Maariv and Israel Hayom highlight the decision announce yesterday by Minister for Culture and Sport, Limor Livnat, to end her involvement in politics after 22 years as a Knesset member. She said that she has decided to move on to new challenges. However, Yediot Ahronot suggests a different motivation and quotes Livnat in private conversations saying “This isn’t the Likud that I once knew… Extreme right wing forces have taken over the Likud.”

Israel Radio news reports this morning that the Advisory Committee on Senior Appointments, headed by retired Judge Yaakov Turkel will today discuss the appointment of Maj. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot as the next IDF Chief of Staff. Eizenkot and Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon will reportedly appear before the committee today.