British media coverage related to Israel today is largely focused on the issue of Iran. The Guardian reports on Israeli home front preparations for retaliation by Iran and its allies to a possible Israeli military strike. The Financial Times reports on Iranian attempts to cope with international sanctions by increasing self-reliance. The FT also has an article arguing that, counter-intuitively, oil-prices could fall after an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Meanwhile the Independent has a comment piece by a senior surgeon who spent time in the Palestinian territories, claiming that a two-state solution is no longer viable. Online the Independent covers the growing protests against the Palestinian Authority in West Bank cities, the Telegraph covers Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for an international ‘red line’ on Iran which could preclude the need for Israeli military action, whilst the FT has an analysis of Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi’s foreign policy. All outlets continue to cover the violence in Syria, as well as the death of a high-ranking Al Qaeda official in Yemen. The BBC carries details of the first interview with senior Syrian defector General Manaf Tlas, in which he talks of how he escaped Syria with French assistance.

The US refusal to meet Israeli demands to set a red line for the Iranian nuclear programme remains a prominent feature of Israeli media coverage, with Israel Hayom and the Jerusalem Post leading on this in their print editions. Maariv reports on its front page the escalating riots against the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Other papers also report on the rising tensions, including Palestinian demands that the PA renegotiate the Paris Protocol which governs Israeli-Palestinian economic relations, and the fear that the rioting could develop into a third Intifada.

Haaretz carries a report claiming that a senior British envoy recently visited Israel and warned Israel not to carry out military action against Iran. The Jerusalem Post reports on Foreign Secretary William Hague’s critical response to the upgrade of Ariel College to a University. Israeli media is also widely reporting on an article by David Makovsky in the New Yorker giving new details of the secret Israeli bombing of a Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007. Yediot Ahronot highlights the fact that Israel learned about the existence of the reactor through good fortune.

Both Makor Rishon and Haaretz report prominently on a Channel 2 expose broadcast last night on the behaviour of tourism minister Stas Misezhnikov, of the Yisrael Beitenu party, who is accused of frequent, drunken partying by members of his security team.

Israel Radio reports that the US is trying to dissuade Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from seeking non-member state status at the UN General Assembly.