In the UK and international papers today, all outlets report that Syrian government forces continued to crackdown on anti-government protesters with reports of civilian casualties in the cities of Qusair, Hama and Homs. In other news, all papers note that Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai gave the final approval to build 1,600 housing units in East Jerusalem. The Independent reports that the Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad condemned the approval of the housing units, and accused Israel of a total disregard for Palestinian rights. The Guardian and the Times note that Iran named a street after US pro-Palestinian activist Rachel Corrie who died in Gaza in 2003. The Financial Times reports that shares in Israel’s top business groups have fallen amid investor concern of the recent social protests taking place across the country and the concern that the government may change business legislation. The Jewish Chronicle notes that the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a travel advisory to the UK due to the riots and looting taking place.

The Jerusalem Post front page leads with the Palestinian and world reaction to the final approval to build 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem. The newspaper also notes that the IDF may be seeking to purchase military equipment being used in Iraq by the US following the US withdrawal from Iraq. The paper also notes that Palestinian leaders Mahmoud Abbas and Salaam Fayyad sent mixed messages to a delegation of US Democratic congressman on whether the Palestinians are planning a bid to receive a UN General Assembly vote for Palestinian statehood in September. In other Israeli news, Ynetnews notes that UK Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould praised the non-violent methods of protests by the Israeli social protest movement. The news outlet also notes that a Qassam rocket was fired last night from Gaza and exploded near a kibbutz in the Shaar Hanegev region causing no injury or damage. The Jerusalem Post notes that the social protest movement plan to take the demonstrations this Saturday evening to peripheral cities and towns across Israel.