The main item of Israel related coverage in the UK media today is the reaching by Israel and Egypt of an agreement that will see the freeing of US-Israeli citizen Ilan Grapel from Egyptian custody, in return for a number of Egyptians held by Israel. The Independent, Reuters, Guardian and BBC Online have this story. In other items, the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent and Times note the withdrawal of the US Ambassador to Syria, and the subsequent recalling of his Syrian counterpart. The Guardian notes that an Israeli officer whose troops shot dead a Palestinian protester has lost his command. The paper also references Hamas’s 2006 election win, in a report suggesting that the Islamist An-Nahda party looks set to win the elections in Tunisia. The Financial Times has a piece on Islamists and the Arab Spring, which lauds Turkey as a model for the Arab world. The Times reports that Turkey has accepted help from some foreign countries following the earthquake there, but has rejected others, including an offer from Israel.

The Haaretz print edition leads with a story on Palestinian demands that Israel free additional prisoners as a condition for renewing peace talks. All print editions also have front-page stories on the imminent freeing of Ilan Grapel. The Jerusalem Post leads with a report on the earthquake in Turkey.

In the Israeli media, all papers report on the deal set to free Ilan Grapel. Haaretz has additional pieces on Palestinian Authority demands that Israel free additional prisoners, and a conversation between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyep Erdogan, in which Netanyahu expressed his condolences at the loss of Turkish life in the recent earthquake. The Jerusalem Post has an update on the situation in Turkey. Ynetnews notes an absence of optimism regarding the meeting this week between Quartet representatives and Israeli and Palestinian officials. Ynetnews notes Russian and Chinese calls to delay US-backed plans to reveal intelligence on Iran‘s alleged nuclear arms experiments. Israel Hayom, meanwhile, notes the arrest of an IDF officer suspected of involvement in drug smuggling. Maariv reports that the US is proposing a partial, un-announced freeze on building in settlements by Israel, as a means to help renew negotiations.