In the UK and international press today, all papers note that the Syrian government’s crackdown on protest continues, with reports indicating that seven people were killed at the start of the Islamic festival of Eid. Reuters reports that the US administration has frozen the assets of Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem and two other senior Syrian officials. The Independent, Guardian, Telegraph and BBC Online notes that the IDF briefed Israeli residence in the West Bank on the security situation and provided them with crowd dispersal equipment, in anticipation of protests during the Palestinian vote at the UN in September. The Independent newspaper notes that following the terror attack in the south of Israel, the IDF have deployed further troops and increased its presence along the Israel-Egypt border.

In the Israeli press, the Jerusalem Post and Haaretz newspapers report that the IDF deployed further troops in the south of Israel, as intelligence reports indicate a Palestinian terror group is in Sinai planning an attack. In other news, Haaretz newspaper notes that Israel rejected a request by the Palestinian Authority to pay tax revenues in advance.

The Jerusalem Post, meanwhile, reports that the Israeli Foreign Ministry is preparing for the release of the Palmer Commission report on the Mavi Marmara raid last year, which is expected to be released on Friday. The Jerusalem Post and Ynetnews note that IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz warned terror groups yesterday not to test the IDF’s strength, and that any terror attack would be met with strong retaliation. All media outlets note that Jordan’s King Abdullah II has urged Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to reconsider the Palestinian bid for a UN vote on statehood, as he fears that this will compromise the assertion for the right of return. Meanwhile, Haaretz notes that Iran plans to dispatch a submarine and warship to the Red Sea, while Ynetnews reports that the Israeli Navy hqw boosted its presence in the Red Sea with two additional warships.