The Daily Mail online reports that a female Israeli soldier was stabbed by two Palestinian terrorists as she exited a bus at a junction near the West Bank city of Ariel. The two assailants were shot dead by Israeli troops at the scene, while the victim was taken to hospital for treatment. The stabbing was the latest in near-daily attacks which have killed at least 31 Israelis since October.

The Independent i and the online edition of the Daily Mail both say that the European Union (EU) issued a statement yesterday which criticised an Israeli government decision to declare around 2,300 dunams near Jericho in the West Bank as state land. The statement said that the move is “undermining the viability of a future Palestinian state.”

The Metro and the online editions of the Telegraph and Daily Mail all cover the death of Meir Dagan, the former-head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. He was praised by leaders from across Israel’s political spectrum for his huge contribution to Israel’s security. During his time at the help, Mossad is thought to have carried out a number of daring operations. Following Dagan’s retirement, he became a vocal critic of Israeli government policy, especially suggestions of an air strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The online editions of the Guardian, Telegraph and Times all report that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that Russian forces could redeploy in Syria “in a few hours” if needed. Earlier this week, Putin surprised the world by announcing that Russia would withdraw its military forces from Syria with immediate effect. Meanwhile, the Telegraph online reports from the latest Syria peace talks in Geneva and says that the Assad regime’s chief negotiator has refused to talk to his opposition counterpart, branding him a terrorist.

The Israeli media this morning is dominated by coverage of Meir Dagan’s death and tribute to his work and achievements, which cover several pages of most publications including Yediot Ahronot, Israel Hayom and Maariv, which leads with the headline “Saying goodbye to a hero.” Former-President Shimon Peres eulogizes Dagan in a piece in Yediot Ahronot, saying that Dagan “was a born leader. It was for good reason that combatants followed him into battle, open and secret.” Peres says that under Dagan’s command, Mossad became “without question, the best espionage agency in the world.” Meanwhile, Ben Caspit in Maariv explains Dagan’s fraught relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following his retirement, saying “If there is one thing Dagan detests, it is cowardice… This caused Dagan to detest Netanyahu.”

Maariv and Israel Hayom both prominently cover the knife attack yesterday near Ariel, in which a female soldier received injuries described as moderate to serious. The two Palestinian attackers are said to have run towards her brandishing a knife.

There is further controversy this morning over the pressure group Breaking the Silence (BtS), which provides a platform for former-Israeli soldiers to anonymously provide testimony critical of IDF behaviour, which is widely published not only in Israel but also abroad. Israel Hayom and Yediot Ahronot report claims broadcast on Channel Two last night, by a group which opposes BtS and has carried out undercover work against it, that BtS activists have sought to elicit classified information from soldiers. Israel Radio news says that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused BtS of crossing another red line.