In the UK and international press today, most papers report on renewed clashes in Cairo between the Egyptian army and the Coptic Christian community, following the death of 25 people after clashes between the two sides. Reuters notes that EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday over the phone. Netanyahu told Ashton that he is willing to meet with PA President Mahmoud Abbas to renew peace talks. The Telegraph runs an article on the situation in Gaza and its basic food and sanitation conditions. The paper also reports that the EU plans to announce a fresh round of sanctions against Syria and President Bashar Assad’s regime. The Guardian carries a few letters on the topic of the universal jurisdiction law in the UK.

In the Israeli press today, all front pages lead with the story that some 280 residents failed to arrive at work yesterday due to the ongoing dispute over wages. Haaretz notes that Hamas in Gaza have imposed a rule requiring all foreigners to have visas to enter Gaza. The Jerusalem Post front page notes that IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz plans to fight against the defence budget cuts. The paper also reports that the Israeli Foreign Ministry sent out a document to its representatives around the world, showing the legal argument against the Palestinian’s move to request statehood from the UN.

In other news, Haaretz reports that France Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said that the Palestinian statehood bid is starting to create cracks in European unity. The paper also notes that senior IDF officers have warned that the 3 billion-shekel defence budget cut will seriously undermine the IDF’s readiness for conflicts. Haaretz also notes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under heavy pressure from settlers, has instructed Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman to set up a task force to explore ways to legalise houses in the settlements that were built on private Palestinian land. The Jerusalem Post note that yesterday a Light Rail in Jerusalem had rocks hurled at it whilst, Simultaneously, rocks were thrown at bus near the Old City. The driver of the bus lost control and sustained light wounds. The Police how now launched a search.