Reuters, ITV News and the BBC report that US President Donald Trump said he would be open to a one-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Reuters reports that Trump said: “If the Israelis and the Palestinians want one state, that’s OK with me. If they want two states, that’s OK with me,” he told a news conference. “I’m happy if they’re happy.” ITV News reports that Trump also told reporters that he believes two states — Israel and one for the Palestinians — “works best”. He has previously been vague on the topic, suggesting that he would support whatever the parties might agree to, including possibly a one-state resolution, which might see the Palestinian territories become part of Israel. The BBC reports that Trump also said he wanted to unveil a plan for a final peace deal within months. “It is a dream of mine to be able to get that done prior to the end of my first term” he said.

The Daily Mail reports that a top Syrian official has said a new air defence system from Russia will force Israel to “think carefully” before carrying out any more air strikes in the country. Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Meqdad said Damascus welcomed the delivery of the advanced S-300 system, promised to arrive within two weeks. It replaces Syria’s existing Russian-built S-200 system, which dates back to the Soviet era, in a move that had been due to take place in 2013 but was held up by Russia at Israel’s request. “I think that Israel, which is accustomed to carrying out many attacks under different pretexts, will have to think carefully about attacking Syria again,” Meqdad said.

The Daily Star and the Metro report that Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said Labour will recognise the state of Palestine as soon as it wins office. The Daily Star reports that the pledge was greeted with enthusiastic support, with members rising for a standing ovation and many waving Palestinian flags. Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, called it an “unprecedented display of solidarity”. He tweeted: “Jeremy Corbyn condemns settlement expansion, killing of unarmed demonstrators and racist Nation State law.” The Metro reports that Corbyn made clear that he would not back away from criticism of Israel, condemning illegal settlements and the detention of Palestinian children as an “outrage”.

The Times reports that Theresa May has pledged to back the JCPOA Iran nuclear deal. Speaking at the UN,  May insisted the deal “remains the best means of preventing Iran developing a nuclear weapon and we are committed to preserving [it]”. May addressed the UN General Assembly with a speech celebrating international co-operation and the rule-based international order, in direct contradiction to Trump’s attack on global governance a day before.

The BBC reports that Trump has urged other members of the UN Security Council to work with America to ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear bomb. Chairing a council meeting, he said anyone who failed to comply with US sanctions would “face severe consequences”. The Express reports that Trump also accused Iran of “enabling Syria’s butchery” and that “it illicitly procures sensitive items to advance its ballistic missile programme and proliferates these missiles all across the Middle East. He branded Iran the “world’s leading sponsor of terrorism” and accused the country’s leadership of fuelling conflict across the Middle East.

Writing in the FT David Gardner comments that “Donald Trump’s lack of a Middle East strategy benefits Iran”. Gardner writes that “for all its unique military might, the US has never come up with an answer to Iran’s deployment of militias and missiles”. Read the full article here.

The Israeli media focus on the meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump at the UN.

Mako reports on responses to Trump’s speech. Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni said: “The two things that he said that pertain to Israel’s future – both the United States’ firm stance in support of Israel’s security and his support for a solution of two nation-states. Both the former and the latter are important for our future.” Meretz Chairwoman Tamar Zandberg wrote on Twitter: “Trump: I’m 100% in favour of Israel; Trump: I’m in favour of two states. Did you hear, Bibi? Two states are an Israeli interest.”

Jewish Home Ayelet Shaked and Naftali Bennett opposed Trump’s endorsement of a two-state solution. Shaked said: “Neither a state-minus nor a state-plus. The solution needs to be regional – not only on the State of Israel’s shoulders. The establishment of a Palestinian state in the territory of Judea and Samaria is a bad solution, and as long as the Jewish Home is in the government, it [a Palestinian state] won’t be established”. Bennett said: “The president of the United States is a true friend of Israel. That said, it is important to underscore that no Palestinian state, which would be a disaster for Israel, will be established as long as we are in the government.”

Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly today and according to media reports he will dedicate a considerable portion of his speech to the Iranian threat. He told reporters in New York a day before making his speech that he was going to present new information, but he did not elaborate. Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will address the UN General Assembly before the Prime Minister.

Barak Ravid of Channel 10 News writes that “it isn’t completely clear why Trump made his remarks now and whether they reflect a planned course of action or were a mere slip of the tongue,” but said that while they weren’t a ground-breaking statement, they were important. Ravid adds: “Ever since Trump took office, many on the Israeli right and in the pro-settler lobby in the government, the Knesset and the media thought that the two-state solution was dead and buried. Those actors have already begun to talk and act to advance initiatives to annex the West Bank, or at least parts of it. Trump’s remarks yesterday made it clear that instead of talk about annexation, the Israeli right-wing needs to discuss what the future Palestinian state ought to look like. The President and his advisers won’t admit it, but it is reasonable to assume that the ten-month-long Palestinian boycott of them, coupled with the enormous pressure that they have faced from Arab and Western leaders — first and foremost King Abdullah of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron — greatly influenced the President into making those remarks now.”

Maariv reports that French President Emmanuel Macron announced at the UN General Assembly “new initiatives” regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in addition to the American initiative. Macron, who is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu, is trying to position himself as a “mediator” between Israel and the Palestinians, and between the US and Iran. “What can resolve the crisis between Israel and Palestine? Well, surely not unilateral initiatives. Nor trampling upon the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to legitimate peace, nor underestimating Israel’s fair right to security.” Macron said that the solution of two states living side-by-side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as a capital, had no “credible alternative”. Macron announced that France would significantly increase its financial contribution to UNRWA, saying that it was a question of whether children would be able to go to school or not.

Kan Radio News reports that one of the Gulf states recently pledged to cover one-third of UNRWA’s budget shortfall, which totals approximately $185m. The pledge was made as part of preliminary talks that UNRWA’s directors are due to hold ahead of a meeting with donor countries in the UN General Assembly today. UNRWA officials admitted on Tuesday that they need more than $180m to guarantee that schools, welfare services and healthcare centres in the Gaza Strip would be able to continue to operate until the end of the year.

Kan Radio News and the Times of Israel reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip and other regional developments. A statement from Netanyahu’s office said the two leaders met for two hours in talks focused on the coastal enclave, where Egypt is working to broker a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Maariv reports on comments by Netanyahu in which he said a decision has not yet been made over who will be the next IDF Chief of Staff.