Events in Libya dominate Middle East coverage in the UK media today.  Meanwhile, in Israel related items, the Daily Telegraph, Times and the Independent note a visit by US politician Sarah Palin to Israel. The Independent and the Scotsman report on renewed clashes between Israel and Hamas-controlled Gaza. The Times, Daily Mail and Financial Times note renewed unrest in Syria. The Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph quote former MI5 head Eliza Manningham-Buller, who advocates dialogue with Hamas and the Taliban and opening channels of communication with al-Qaida. Metro London reviews a new play about British Jews and Israel. The Guardian notes that Egyptians supported amendments to the country’s constitution in a vote over the weekend. The Times reports on the ongoing unrest in the Arab world. The Times also notes an expected growth of Israel’s oil production due to efforts to extract oil and natural gas from oil shale in the Shfela Basin, south and west of Jerusalem. The Independent has a piece accusing western governments of ‘hypocrisy’ in their intervention in Libya.  

Over the weekend, the unrest in Syria dominated Israel related coverage. The Guardian, Sunday Times, Independent on Sunday, Independent, Financial Times, Scotland on Sunday and Reuters all covered the latest developments in Syria. The Daily Telegraph, Independent on Sunday, Financial Times, Scotland on Sunday, Scotsman and BBC Online noted the mortar attacks on Israel from Gaza that took place over the weekend, and Israel’s response. The Guardian on Saturday had a piece on a Palestinian living in Gaza who thinks he may have been switched at birth. The Sunday Times noted the role of fear of Iran in events in Bahrain. The Independent on Saturday noted Israeli and Palestinian participation in the sport of free running in Jerusalem. The Independent on Sunday had a travel feature on Beirut. The Mail on Sunday had a piece on Libya which noted remarks made by Prime Minister David Cameron which were critical of Israel. The Financial Times had a piece on Saturday contending that one of the potential pitfalls of intervention in Libya is distraction from other events in the Middle East, including Israel announcing new settlement plans. The paper on Saturday also reviewed a new play about British Jews and Israel. The Guardian on Saturday ran an article by a London-based senior Arab journalist, who asked why ‘wasn’t there a no-fly zone over Gaza when the Israelis were bombarding it in 2008/9’. The Times ran an article by Quartet Mid-East Envoy Tony Blair on current events in the Middle East, which mentioned their relevance to both Israelis and Palestinians. 

In the Israeli media today, all papers note the launching of a Grad rocket from Gaza at Ashkelon. All papers report on events in Libya. Haaretz reports on a new unit in IDF Military Intelligence set up to monitor groups seeking to delegitimise Israel. The Jerusalem Post notes efforts by Hamas to build new underground tunnels between Gaza and Israel. Ynetnews reports on Sarah Palin’s visit to Israel and has an article on a pro-Israel activist who was assaulted in London over the weekend. Maariv, finally, notes that Israel has admitted that it is holding a Gaza-based Palestinian man who disappeared last month while in Ukraine.