In today’s UK media the Financial Times continues to focus on the nuclear negotiations with Iran and the next round scheduled for May 23 in Baghdad.  Although Iran made no concessions at this stage the paper sees them “showing signs of willingness” to cooperate.  BBC online report on the first UN monitors arriving in Syria, while the Independent online notes “Ceasefire in tatters as Assad troops attack Homs.”  The Daily Telegraph, Independent and Guardian all cover briefly the pro-Palestinian protestors who attempted to cause disruption at Ben Gurion airport with the ‘flytilla’ yesterday. The Independent reports that it was primarily the airlines that prevented a mass arrival by cancelling the tickets of known activists. The Guardian includes a comment piece from David Edgar on a planned performance by an Israeli theatre group at the Globe Theatre, explaining that he  “didn’t join in opposing the invitation to Israel’s Habima Theatre, but I agree with the protesters’ right to do so”.

Over the weekend the Financial Times and the Guardian covered the P5+1 negotiations with Iran, noting Iran’s attempts to avoid oil sanctions. The Guardian notes Tehran already possess enough 20% enriched uranium for 8 years of research.  Patrick Seale in the Guardian approved of Annan’s plan for Syria as opposed to those who support arming the Free Syrian Army. The Financial Times reported on several Egyptian presidential candidates being barred from running due to various technicalities.  Among the candidates are high profile figures Omar Suleiman, former intelligence chief under Mubarak, Kheirat al-Shater, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom & Justice party and Hazem Abu Ismail, a prominent Salafi candidate.  The Sunday Times also looked at the upcoming presidential elections in Egypt and the prospect of an Islamic extremist winning and introducing Sharia law. The Observer published a letter by Ken Loach calling for the Globe theatre to block Habima’s performance.  The Guardian online  speculated that hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails could embark on hunger strikes this week to draw attention to imprisonment without charge and solitary confinement.

In today’s Israeli media Ma’ariv leads with the disappointed reaction of the Israeli Prime Minister regarding the negotiations with Iran. Yesterday’s flytilla, dubbed an anti-climax in most places, is summed up in Ma’ariv’s headline “More police officers that activists”.  There is broad coverage of an incident in which an IDF officer is seen in a Youtube clip using his weapon to hit an unarmed activist in the face.  There is widespread condemnation of the officer’s behavior from the military and political leadership including the Chief of Staff who referred to it as “a severe incident, which contravenes the IDF’‎s values”. Yediot Ahronot also includes a defence of the officer in their coverage.  There are various  reports of events on Israel’s southern border, including a firefight in the Sinai in which 2 Egyptian policemen were killed by Islamic militants. There also a Qassam rocket fired into Israel last night that caused no damage. Haaretz covers the announcement of Yair Lapid to register his new political party called Atid, meaning future.  His announcement on facebook included the promise that “no serving politician will be in my party.” They also profile another new party comprising of a “social coalition movement”.

Over the weekend all the Israeli media was focused on the flytilla.  Yediot Ahronot‘s front-page asked the activists, “Why don’t you protest against Assad?” They also printed an ironic letter prepared for each activist from the government, thanking the protesters for choosing Israel as the “object of your humanitarian concerns. We know there were many other worthy choices.” There was also broad coverage of the P5+1 negotiations in Istanbul on the Iranian nuclear issue. Ma’ariv includes an analysis that notes, “The success of the talks will not be apparent in the coming days, but rather in a week or two when the Iranians actually have to turn the negotiations into practical steps.” Most papers also discuss developments in the Egyptian presidential elections, profiling the decision to ban certain candidates. All the papers cover Saturday night’s celebration of the Mimouna, the traditional Moroccan holiday celebrating the end of Passover. Ma’ariv refers to it as the, “holiday of the politicians”, and every outlet includes pictures of various politicians eating the traditional ‘mufleta’ with members of the Moroccan community.