The Guardian online reports that despite a number of allegations of excessive spending at the Prime Minister’s Residence and claims of misappropriated public funds, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not appear to be suffering in the polls, which currently indicate that his Likud Party will be the largest in the Knesset following next month’s general election. In particular, the article focuses on the recent claim that Netanyahu’s wife ordered staff to return bottles used at state functions for recycling and then pocketed the deposits herself.

The Financial Times includes a feature on Palestinian leader Mohammed Dahlan, considered a political rival to Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas. The article says that Dahlan’s supporters are becoming increasingly vocal, especially in the Gaza Strip and that Dahlan is positioning himself as successor to Abbas, who will soon turn 80. Dahlan was an influential security chief and leader in Abbas’s Fatah faction, but was effectively expelled by Abbas in 2011 amid various allegations and has since based himself in the United Arab Emirates.

The Independent and the online editions of the Guardian and Times all report that the Jordanian public is widely outraged by the brutal burning and murder of a Jordanian pilot captured by ISIS. All reports say that Jordanians are eager for revenge and there is popular support to increase Jordan’s involvement in tackling ISIS. The Times online quotes Jordan’s King Abdullah who pledged a “relentless war” against ISIS. Writing in the Daily Mirror, Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of UK forces in Afghanistan, calls for Britain to send additional forces to defeat ISIS. Meanwhile, the Independent online notes that with the media and public focus on ISIS, the regime of Syria’s President Assad has reportedly killed 330 Syrian civilians since the start of 2015.

The Guardian online reports that an Egyptian court yesterday sentenced 230 demonstrators to life imprisonment for their role in clashes with police during the protests which saw the downfall of Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

In the Israeli media, the headlines are dominated by yet another scandal involving a high-ranking police officer. The as yet unnamed officer is accused of sexually harassing female officers under his command. He becomes the seventh senior police figure to face investigation for wrongdoing over the past two years, with most allegations involving sexual misconduct. It is the top story in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv and in Haaretz, which says that five women will testify against the officer. The story also leads Israel Hayom, which quotes the chief of police who pledged zero tolerance for sexual harassment in his force.

Both Haaretz and Israel Radio news report that seven pro-Israel Democrat Congressmen from the US House of Representatives met yesterday with Israel’s Ambassador to Washington Ron Dermer, urging him to encourage Prime Minister Netanyahu to re-think his planned address to Congress on 3 March. The invitation was issued to Netanyahu by the Republican Speaker without the knowledge of the White House and has been interpreted by some as supportive of President Obama’s political opponents.

Israel Radio news also covers disciplinary measures being taken by the Foreign Ministry against three Israeli diplomats, including the Ambassador to Switzerland, who used social media to criticise Prime Minister Netanyahu and government ministers. Civil servants are prohibited from publicly expressing political opinions.