The Guardian online reports that an Israeli military court has ordered the release from custody of a dual UK-Lebanon national, after ruling that a confession he gave to the Shin Bet security service of having aided and helped Hamas had been obtained after shackling and threatening him, and that he had been subject to physical and psychological pressure without access to a lawyer. Faiz Mahmoud Ahmed Sherari is still in custody pending an appeal by the military prosecutor of the court’s ruling, that will take place on Sunday.

The Independent reports on comments made by senior United Torah Judaism leader, Moshe Gafni MK, who said that college and higher education programmes in Israel amount to an attempt to “secularise” ultra-Orthodox Jews.

The Guardian online reports on scuffles which took place yesterday at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, between ultra-Orthodox Jews and Reform and Conservative Jewish leaders over prayer arrangements at the site. The Reform and Conservative worshippers were attempting to hold a mixed gender prayer service and protest over the Israeli government’s failure to establish an egalitarian prayer space in the vicinity of the Western Wall as mandated by a Supreme Court ruling. The article says that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier this week urged the Reform and Conservative activists not to protest as “the less publicly we talk about it, the better chance we have to resolve it”.

The Independent covers comments made by the European Union’s (EU) foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who upheld the right of activists to call for boycotts of Israel, under their right to freedom of expression.  She also reiterated that “the EU rejects the BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) campaign’s attempts to isolate Israel and is opposed to any boycott of Israel”.

The Guardian online says that former Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters, who is a prominent activist calling for a boycott of Israel, has called on the Chemical Brothers to cancel an upcoming concert in Tel Aviv.

The Financial Times and The Telegraph both report that the global security company G4S is poised to sell its Israeli operation. The Financial Times says that FIMI Opportunity Funds, a private equity firm are set to complete the purchase for around £81m

In the Israeli media, the top stories in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv and Israel Hayom are all about the US election.

The main domestic story is the draft legislation promoted by Prime Minister Netanyahu to prevent the launch of a new public broadcasting body. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, has criticised the plan on financial grounds. Critics have  accused Netanyahu of attempting to prevent media freedom. Haaretz, Yediot Ahronot and Maariv all prominently report that Netanyahu and Kahlon yesterday agreed to postpone a cabinet vote on the issue for three weeks. A committee has been set up to investigate the financial implications of the bill in the meantime.

Writing in Yediot Ahronot, Sima Kadmon portrays the decision as a victory for Kahlon, saying “In this compromise… there is also a message: Netanyahu is not invincible”. In Maariv, Ben Caspit says that Kahlon has become a “significant adversary” to Netanyahu.

Maariv and Israel Radio news both report yesterday’s Knesset approval for a first reading of the state budget, proposed by Kahlon. 60 MKs voted in favour and 50 against. It will now be scrutinised by a Knesset committee before being sent back to legislators for second and third readings. Yehuda Sharoni in Maariv says that the two-year budget “caters directly to the disempowered populations, which are Kahlon’s target audience”.

Israel Radio news reports that State Comptroller Yosef Shapira met with Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday, ahead of issuing a long-awaited report on the political establishment’s handling of the Hamas tunnel threat before and during Operation Protective Edge. Shapira’s report is expected to be critical of Israel’s leaders and Netanyahu yesterday presented Shapira with additional information on security cabinet meetings held at the time.

Israel Hayom speculates that Israel’s former Ambassador to the UK, Ron Prosor, could be in line to become Israel’s new envoy to Turkey after diplomatic relations were recently fully restored.