The Times and i both report that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Russia’s President Vladimir Putin yesterday in Moscow. The two leaders apparently discussed the growth in bilateral relations, marking 25 years of official ties between the two countries. Putin described Russia and Israel as “true allies”. They also discussed regional issues, especially Syria where Russia and Israel have agreed a military mechanism to avoid unintended clashes while protecting their respective interests.

The Financial Times covers continuing allegations that French millionaire Arnaud Mimran donated one million Euros to Netanyahu, an amount which would easily exceed the permitted limit for a single campaign donation. Netanyahu’s office has said that there was no wrongdoing and that Netanyahu accepted Mimran’s money as a private citizen in the early 2000s. Mimran is on trial in France for fraud.

The i reports that with Israel’s encouragement, there has been rare cooperation between all Christian denominations, to facilitate and fund much needed repair works at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, where in Christian tradition Jesus is thought to have been buried. The church is often a scene for disagreement and conflict between the various factions. The renovations are the first to be carried out at the tomb itself since the nineteenth century.

Meanwhile, in Syria, the Financial Times online reports that with ISIS fighting to defend several fronts, its stronghold of Raqqa is in danger of being captured. The report suggests that there could be a race to re-take the city between President Assad’s forces supported by Russian air strikes, and US-backed opposition groups.

In the Israeli media, the headlines are again dominated by the ongoing speculation that Prime Minister Netanyahu unlawfully accepted money from Arnaud Mimran. It is the top story in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Haaretz and Israel Hayom. For the first time, Netanyahu yesterday addressed the accusations, dismissing them during a press conference with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. He called the story a “tiny molehill” and explained that Mimran’s donation had been “a legal contribution to a fund that I established for public activity for the State of Israel when I was a private citizen in 2001”. Netanyahu also criticised the media treatment of his wife. Yediot Ahronot notes that Mimran appears to have now altered his story over the donation. Maariv’s Ben Caspit says that “This tangled situation requires a responsible adult to check the numbers, the bank accounts, the transfers.”

Another major item, covered prominently by Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Haaretz and Israel Hayom is comments allegedly made by Rami Sadan, the chairman-designate of Channel Ten News, which have prompted Shas to threaten leaving the coalition. Sadan, who is thought to be close to Netanyahu, is reported by Haaretz to have said that he hates Shas and its leader, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri. Sadan is reported to have spoken in derogatory and elitist terms about the working-class Israelis of Middle Eastern origin, who form the bedrock of Shas’ support. Deri has called for Sadan’s candidacy to be withdrawn, or else his party will leave the government. Israel Radio news says that an investigation by television authorities has found that Sadan did not make the alleged comments, but that Shas believes Golan Yochpaz, the CEO of Channel Ten News, who said via social media, that he himself heard Sadan’s alleged comments.

Israel Radio news also reports that stones were thrown last night at an Israeli bus near the West Bank community of Adam. The bus driver, who was alone in the bus, was taken to hospital suffering from shock.