Syria features prominently in the Middle East headlines of many UK dailies this morning. The Telegraph reports on Israeli concerns that Syrian rebels, including elements affiliated to al-Qaeda, may have taken control of two Syrian villages in the demilitarised zone of the Golan Heights that straddles Israel’s border. Meanwhile, the Guardian, Evening Standard and the online editions of the Independent and Financial Times report on growing international recognition of the newly formed Syrian opposition coalition, which was established after several days of talks in Qatar last week. The Times and the Telegraph online both include features on the growing humanitarian crisis in Syria, with an estimated 2.5million people now in need of emergency aid as winter approaches.

The Independent online reports on Israeli opposition to the Palestinian Authority  bid to upgrade the status of its United Nations (UN) delegation to that of a ‘non-member state.’ The report claims that some members of the Israeli government have threatened to place sanctions on the PA in response to its unilateral initiative should the proposal be approved by the UN General Assembly later this month. Both the Times and the online editions of the Guardian and Telegraph cover the exhumation later this month of the body of former PA Chairman Yasser Arafat who died eight years ago. Swiss, French and Russian experts will carry out tests on Arafat’s body to determine whether there is any evidence that his death was caused by poisoning.  Meanwhile, the online edition of the Telegraph also reports that a fall in Iranian oil exports due to international sanctions is costing the country approximately £63million in lost revenue. All dailies cover the release from detention yesterday of radical Islamist preacher Abu Qatada after his appeal on human rights grounds was upheld against deportation from the UK to Jordan, where he is wanted on charges of terrorism.

The Israeli media reports on the diminished violence in the Gaza border region and a tacit truce brokered by Egyptian officials between Israel and Hamas. Maariv comments that although the current bout of violence may have ended, questions are already being asked about “the next round.” Meanwhile, the headline in Israel Hayom describes the quiet as a “temporary situation.” Israel Radio News notes that Israel’s Ambassador to the UN lodged a formal complaint against Hamas over the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. Haaretz devotes front-page coverage to Israel’s opposition towards the PA’s bid to upgrade the status of its UN delegation, claiming that the Israeli government is considering annulling the Oslo Accords should the PA pursue this initiative. Israel Hayom says that if the UN General Assembly approves Palestinian recognition as a ‘non-member state,’ then Israel will consider unilateral actions of its own such as the annexation of settlement blocs in the West Bank. Meanwhile, Israel Radio News reports that the Jewish Home party will today elect its list of Knesset candidates in advance of January’s elections. Last week Naftali Bennett was elected as the party’s new leader and will head the list.