The Guardian, the Associated Press and The Independent report that Israel’s top court has ruled Benjamin Netanyahu can legally form a government while under criminal indictment for corruption, paving the way for him to be sworn in as prime minister next week.

The Times reports that Iran is dramatically reducing its military presence in Syria for the first time since the beginning of the civil war there nine years ago, according to Israeli intelligence.

Associated Press reports that Amnesty International on Thursday censured Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip for detaining critics and opponents for expressing their views.

Reuters reports that President Donald Trump vetoed legislation passed by both houses of Congress to limit a president’s ability to wage war against Iran on Wednesday, as Trump wages a campaign of maximum pressure against the Islamic Republic.

BBC News reports that Egypt has said alcohol poisoning caused the death in prison of filmmaker Shady Habash, who was detained after he made a music video mocking the president.

The Times reports that Iranian cyberagents used fake social media accounts to try to influence the outcome of the Scottish independence referendum in favour of a pro-independence “Yes” vote, according to a report by Facebook.

The Guardian, the Associated Press and Reuters report that Iraqi lawmakers have approved a new prime minister and government after six months without one as parties squabbled until the last minute over cabinet seats in backroom deals.

Reuters reports that the US will grant a 120-day waiver for Iraq to continue importing electricity from Iran to help the new Iraqi government succeed, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the newly installed Iraqi prime minister.

Reuters reports that the US special envoy on Afghanistan is on a mission to press Taliban negotiators in Doha and officials in India and Pakistan to support reduced violence, speeding up intra-Afghan peace talks and cooperating on the coronavirus pandemic, the State Department said on Wednesday.

Reuters reports that the US announced it will provide $225 million in emergency aid to Yemen to support food programs, and called on the Houthis to do more to allow aid operations to operate “independently and neutrally”.

The Guardian reports that low-wage migrant workers in Qatar say they have been forced to beg for food as the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic takes a devastating toll, following a surge in the outbreak that has seen one-in-four people test positive.

In the Financial Times, Chloe Cornish and Asmaa al-Omar investigate the Assad family dispute gripping Syria, as Rami Makhlouf’s complaints against his cousin Bashir al-Assad show strains in power structure.

In The Independent, Bel Trew writes that civilians living in Lebanon’s second largest city, Tripoli, are being forced to defy lockdown measures in order to avoid hunger amid a currency crisis and soaring prices.

The Israeli media reports a total of 16,310 confirmed coronavirus cases in Israel. However, over the past 24 hours only 21 new coronavirus cases have been recorded across the country. The number of patients who have died remains at 239. Of the latest figures, 89 people are in serious condition, with 69 patients needing ventilators. The Israeli economy continues to gradually open up, shopping malls throughout Israel will reopen today, after having been closed for two months. The malls will operate under social distancing restrictions and with limits on the number of shoppers. Open-air markets will also allowed to reopen today.  The papers all report that the Israeli football league is set to resume on 30 May, but matches will be played without fans in the stadium.

Kan Radio News reports that according to Palestinian sources the conditions were still not ripe for a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas. The sources said that the indirect talks were at a very early stage and that so far, only general messages—and not practical proposals with names and numbers—had been exchanged. The sources said that Israel was refusing to release prisoners with blood on their hands and wanted a one-stage deal, mainly a humanitarian deal, in exchange for the return of the bodies of the two soldiers, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, and the two civilians, Abera Mengistu and Hisham Sayyad. Kan Radio News was told that Israel had refused to release prisoners in exchange for only information and signs of life and had yet to accept Hamas’s request to announce how many prisoners it would be willing to release in exchange for each of the four. Maariv includes commentary that suggests “The sole reason that talks on a possible prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas were renewed in the last two months was the coronavirus crisis…. However, as in Israel, the Palestinians too are in the process of emerging from the coronavirus crisis. There is a sense of optimism in the Gaza Strip because of the relatively small number of carriers detected (only 20) and the prevailing assessment is that civilian life can soon return to normal. One sign of a return to normal was the rocket that was fired last night, which was met with an IDF attack. A gradual return to the familiar routine will mean that window of opportunity to return the MIAs and hostages will be closed.”

 

Haaretz reports that Israel’s ambassador to the UN said yesterday that his government is demanding major changes in the way the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon operates on the ground and has support from the United States. Ambassador Danny Danon told a video press briefing that Israel will insist that peacekeepers have access to all sites, have freedom of movement and that any time they are blocked the UN Security Council must be immediately informed. Israel has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of impeding the peacekeepers from carrying out their mandate. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) includes more than 9,400 ground troops and over 850 naval personnel in a Maritime Task Force. Its budget from July 2018-June 2019 was $474 million.

 

Israel Hayom and Haaretz note that Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh could one day replace President Mahmoud Abbas. Shtayyeh, an unelected Abbas appointee has gained in popularity due to his efficient handling of the coronavirus. According to one poll 96 per cent of West Bank Palestinians trust the way the PA under Shtayyeh has handled the pandemic. So far the West Bank has recorded just 354 cases and two deaths. After an outbreak in Bethlehem in March the PA moved quickly to impose a full lockdown, fearing its weak health system would be overwhelmed. Shtayyeh has consistently said he does not harbour ambitions of the presidency. Currently, as Palestinian president and chairman of the PLO, Abbas, 84, still holds the levers of power.