In the UK and international press today the harsh crackdown by government forces on anti-government protesters in Syria continues to be the main focus. The Telegraph notes that US politicians are pushing for a bill to cut aid to the Palestinian Authority if it continues with its bid to seek statehood recognition at the UN. Reuters notes that a senior Israeli official said yesterday that upgrading the Palestinian’s UN status would be a “strategic mistake by the world”. In an interview with Foreign Policy Magazine, Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Oren said that if the Palestinians push for statehood, it might affect all existing agreements between Israel, the US and the Palestinian Authority.

In the Israeli news, all papers note that today is the start of the school year. The Jerusalem Post newspaper leads with the story that Israel may suggest to hold strategic dialogue talks with Egypt that would include a proposal to amend the military clause of the Israel-Egypt peace treaty. The front page of Haaretz reports that the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee released a report critical of Israel’s preparations against the Palestinian efforts for a UN statehood vote. In other news, Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post note that French President Nicolas Sarkozy called on the EU to have a united stand on the issue of a Palestinian state ahead of the UN vote next month. Haaretz and Ynetnews note that the Israeli Population Authority said last month 2,000 infiltrators illegally entered into Israel from Egypt, mainly refugees from Africa, China and Turkey. All papers report that Israel deployed its third Iron Dome missile defence system yesterday near the southern coastal town of Ashdod. All papers also note that a Nepalese migrant worker employed by the Netanyahus as a caregiver for Sara Netanyahu’s aging father, claimed that she had been injured during a confrontation with Mrs. Netanyahu, in an incident that took place two weeks ago.