The killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist on Saturday, and Iran’s subsequent allegation of Israeli and US involvement dominates Israel-related coverage in the UK media today. The Daily Telegraph, Scotsman, Times, Financial Times and Reuters report on this latest development. In other stories, the Guardian has pieces on Israeli measures to enforce naval boundaries on the Gaza coast, and plans for an Israeli orchestra to perform the music of Richard Wagner in Germany. The Financial Times notes a plan for China to pay for Iranian oil by ‘barter’ to get round sanctions. The paper has an additional piece on the massacre in Norway, in which the killer is described as representing a new type of right-wing extremism in Europe, which is anti-Islam and pro-Israel. The Independent publishes a reader’s letter which opposes US support for Israel.

Over the weekend, the continued unrest in Syria dominated coverage. The Independent on Saturday noted an explosion at a military college in the city of Homs. The Financial Times also noted the continued unrest and the Times had an editorial condemning the ‘savagery’ in Syria. The Sunday Times, Guardian, Evening Standard, and Daily Telegraph also reported on the protests. In other stories, the Independent on Saturday noted a looming dispute between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and West Bank settlers over the planned destruction of a number of illegally built structures. Reuters, the Sunday Times and BBC Online on Sunday noted the killing over the weekend of an Iranian nuclear scientist in Teheran. Reuters and BBC Online on Sunday also reported renewed unrest in Egypt. The Sunday Telegraph ran a piece which noted that top BBC journalists and executives have admitted that the Corporation’s coverage of Israel has often not been balanced. The Sunday Times reviewed a new book about Israeli counter-terrorism. The Guardian on Saturday had a piece calling on a reduction in the power of the army in Egypt. The paper also noted protests in Israel against the high price of housing.

In the Israeli media today, all papers report on demonstrations over the weekend in Israel to protest housing prices. The Jerusalem Post and Haaretz print editions lead with the protests yesterday in Jerusalem. Haaretz has a piece noting that Israel is investigating the possibility of revoking the Oslo Accords if the Palestinians attempt a unilateral declaration of statehood. All papers note the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist in Teheran. The Jerusalem Post reports on the government of Israel’s intention of developing a plan to ease the housing crisis. The paper also notes that the Migron outpost in the West Bank has been given a last minute temporary reprieve from being dismantled. Ynetnews, Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post note that the release of the Palmer report into the events surrounding last year’s Gaza flotilla has been postponed. Maariv reports that a strike in Israel’s public hospitals is due to take place today. Most papers report that IDF troops arrested two people in the Dead Sea suspected of having attempted to smuggle weapons from Jordan to Israel on a rubber boat. The attempt was most likely not part of a terrorist attack.