The British media is largely focused on the opening of the new US Embassy in Jerusalem, which takes place today. The Embassy is set to be opened at a ceremony today marking the 70^th anniversary of Israel’s independence. BBC News Online, Independent and the Guardian report that US officials are set to attend the opening, including US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner.

BBC Radio Four’s Today Programme reported on the US Embassy move. The programme interviewed senior associate of St Antony’s College Oxford Hussein Agha and Dore Gold, former Director-General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Guardian, Telegraph and Mail Online via AP reports on the security challenge posed by the move, with mass protests by Palestinians in Gaza and Arabs in Israel expected. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 4 pm local time. Ahead of today’s ceremony and expected violence in Gaza, the Israeli Air Force announced that it has destroyed a one-kilometre long tunnel built by Hamas in Gaza, which stopped just short of the Israeli border.

The Times reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the embassy move will help to advance the peace process. Speaking last night at a ceremony celebrating Jerusalem Day, which marks the city’s reunification following the 1967 war, Netanyahu said: “I call on all countries to join the US in moving their embassies to Jerusalem. It’s the right thing to do . . . because it advances peace.”

The Guardian and Telegraph report that the leader of al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, called for “resistance through the call and jihad” in response to the US Embassy move. He added that the move “revealed the true face of the modern Crusade, where standing down and appeasement does not work,” and called the Palestinian Authority (PA) the “sellers of Palestine”.

The Independent published an article by Editor of the Palestine Chronicle Ramzy Baroud, about the Palestinian “struggle to return home” and his “journey to reclaim the narrative of Palestine”. The Guardian published an article by Palestinian author Atef Abu Saif, who writes that the Palestinian protests on the Gaza border are not aimed at Israel’s destruction but at securing a future for the Palestinians. The article heavily criticises Israel’s response to the rioting and attempts to breach the border fence, saying the so-called “Great March of Return” is a “peaceful show of resistance”.

Writing in the Telegraph, the paper’s former editor Charles Moore says that “Israel at 70 is a better and less corrupt place than almost all of Britain’s former colonies,” and praises Israel’s “miraculous” story and its democratic character.

The Observer published an editorial yesterday about the US Embassy move, which says “the American president has thrown into confusion old alliances and imperilled Middle Eastern peace”.

The Guardian, Mirror and Telegraph report that Israeli football club Beitar Jerusalem have added the word “Trump” to their name by way of thanking the US President for moving the US Embassy to Israel’s seat of government and recognising it as Israel’s capital. In a statement, the club said Trump had “shown courage and true love of the Israeli people and their capital”.

The Telegraph, Guardian and Independent report that US National Security adviser John Bolton has said that the US is prepared to impose sanctions on European companies that do business in Iran following his withdrawal of the US from the international nuclear deal.

The Express, Evening Standard,Metro and Telegraph report on Israel’s victory in the 2018 Eurovison Song Contest. The Independent, Mail Online and Express report on the backlash to Israel’s victory, after singer Netta Barzilai  was accused of “cultural appropriation” by some on social media. The singer performed her song, Toy, wearing a Japanese silk kimono and with her hair in traditional Japanese style.

The Israeli media is dominated by the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem later today.  Yediot Ahronot declares “Welcome to Jerusalem”.  The paper goes on to note that many doubted that the move would happen and others warned of the possible consequences, but this afternoon, the fact will be created on the ground: the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital will become official.

Maariv, says:  “US Embassy makes Aliya to Jerusalem”.  Whilst Israel Hayom calls it, “Great day for Israel and America”.  Israel Hayom also quotes US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who says that the “embassy should have moved a long time ago”. In the commentary in Yediot Ahronot, Nahum Barnea writes, “The fact that of all the capitals in the world only Israel’s capital does not enjoy full recognition is an anomaly. The ceremony that will take place in the Arnona neighbourhood repairs an historic distortion. Trump’s heirs in the White House will have to spend the hundreds of millions needed to build an embassy of the accepted standard in the US. One thing they will not be able to do—turn the wheel back.”

Also in Yediot Ahronot, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin writes: “Who would have believed that fifty-one years had passed since the happy day when we all celebrated the reunification of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, which for years has been a source of yearning and longing for the Jewish people scattered throughout the Diaspora. And today, we are celebrating the year of the prosperous State of Israel.  For thousands of years, Jerusalem has been synonymous with the house. A historic house, a house of dream and reality, a house of prayer and of daily life, for every Jew wherever he may be….Jerusalem is the focus of the sovereignty of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. Anyone looking for us finds us in Jerusalem.”

Maariv includes commentary from former senior military intelligence officer, Brig. Gen. (res) Yossi Kupperwasser, where he connects the US pull-out of the Iranian nuclear deal and the US Embassy move as, “the construction of the foundations for a new world order, particularly in the Middle East, being led by US President Trump”.   He argues, “at the heart of which is the belief in the power of the US to change reality thanks to its status as a superpower.”

All the Israeli media continue to report Israel winning the Eurovision song contest.  Maariv quote the winning singer Neta Barzilia, “thank you for celebrating diversity”.   Haaretz notes tens of thousands are expected to celebrate the win in Tel Aviv.

Kan Radio News reports the IDF is being deployed around the Gaza Strip on increasingly high alert in advance of the march of return protests that are expected to reach their peak today. Southern Commander Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir said that the IDF is determined to foil any attempt at a terrorist attack or to infiltrate Israel. Zamir met last night with the Gaza periphery regional council chairmen and believed that the events today are not expected to leak out of the territory of the Gaza Strip. Officials believe that rockets will not be fired at Israel. They are concerned that tens of thousands of Palestinians would attend the demonstrations and that they would spiral out of control. Security establishment officials have warned that the possibility of an all-out conflict in the Gaza Strip has increased increasing in wake of the large demonstrations. Officials believe that Hamas has been acting openly to cause the violent demonstrations to increase in magnitude and to cause the international community to get involved in the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Similarly, Haaretz notes security forces are also on high alert in Jerusalem and the West Bank in advance of the mass rallies planned there.

According to Maariv, MK Nachman Shai of the Zionist Union is ready to run for Mayor of Jerusalem. Shai said that this is a one-man mission and waiting to be endorsed by the Labour Party and to assist him. He said that Jerusalem is essentially divided at present and that leadership must be found that will save the city from its great economic distress.