The Independent, Times and Daily Mail all report that media interest and protests have greeted the opening of the “Tel Aviv Sur Seine” festival, during which a model of the Tel Aviv beach and associated cultural activities is open to the public on the banks of the River Seine. Some members of the Paris city council have objected to the attraction, calling the partnership project “indecent.” The interest in the event has reportedly led to attendance by a large number of journalists in comparison to the number of visitors.

The Times says that there is significant Palestinian public anger towards local officials after leaked documents exposed corruption and questionable behaviour among bureaucrats.

In Syria, the Telegraph online reports that two people have been killed and four injured by a blast in Latakia, situated in the heartland of President Assad’s Alawite supporters. The article says that the attack could signify a new stage of the Syrian Civil War, with Assad’s grip on power loosening. Writing in the Independent online, Kim Sengupta says that Assad is not the only one standing in the way of peace. He argues that Turkey’s leadership is also a “massive obstacle” to a resolution by waging a campaign against the Kurds.

In the Independent and Independent i, Rupert Cornwell argues that you don’t need to be a Republican in order to oppose the nuclear deal with Iran. He reminds readers that sanctions brought Iran to the table in the first place and a continued sanctions regime could have generated a more robust agreement. He also accuses US President Barack Obama of “an arrogant, messianic certainty” over the deal, where in reality many questions over the accord remain unanswered.

In the Israeli media, the dailies lead with a mixture of stories. Yediot Ahronot’s front page highlights claims by US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz that Israeli scientists were consulted throughout the negotiation process with Iran in order to reach a long-term agreement on Tehran’s nuclear development. In a call with US Jewish communal leaders, Moniz also admitted that concerns remain over Tehran’s support for terror organisations such as Hezbollah.

Both Haaretz and Israel Hayom lead with a report published yesterday by IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, which outlines the IDF’s strategy and goals. Among the issues discussed in the document is a new focus on cyber warfare. However, this morning’s dailies focus on the disclosure that if a conflict erupts on Israel’s norther border with Hezbollah, then the IDF already has tens of thousands of targets ready to strike.

Meanwhile, the long-awaited agreement between the government and the principal investors in Israel’s natural gas industry is a top item in Israel Hayom, which highlights comments by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who said that the agreement is worth billions to Israeli citizens. The deal comes after protracted negotiations, during which the major American developer Noble Energy indicated it may walk away. Opponents of the agreement say that it hands over Israel’s natural resources to private developers, when Israel’s citizens should enjoy greater benefit. Maariv says that the deal may well face one more significant hurdle in the form of a Knesset vote.