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Media Summary

Netanyahu says US supports his peace deal conditions

[ssba]

In the UK and international press today, several papers note that the Egyptian military government has decided to reopen the Rafah border crossing with Gaza. The border will be opened on Saturday for the first time since 2007, when Hamas took over control of Gaza. The Telegraph reports that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will continue to push for UN recognition of a Palestinian state to be declared in September. In other news, the Guardian notes that Oxford University has appointed a professor for Israel studies to examine Israel’s history ‘within a global context’.

In the Israeli papers today, Haaretz carries a poll that shows a rise in popularity for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following his six-day visit to the US. In other news, all papers report on Egyptian plans to open the Rafah border crossing with Gaza from Saturday. Haaretz reports that the PA supported the opening of the Gaza crossing along with Egypt, to help persuade Hamas to sign the Palestinian unity deal. In addition, the papers note that the US is helping Israel buy four more Iron Dome missile-intercepting batteries. IBA News reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned from his trip to Washington and said that the US strongly supports the basic principles that are important to Israel in order to achieve a real, defensible peace with its neighbours. All papers note that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said yesterday that US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have dealt a ‘mortal blow’ to the peace process.