In the UK newspapers today, the Guardian and Independent report that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will present the Palestinian bid for UN membership on 20 September. Associated Press and the Scotsman note that China’s military chief General, Chen Bingde arrived in Israel and will meet with defence officials. BBC Online and Reuters note that Jordan’s King Abdullah II implemented limited reform plans that will strengthen parliament’s power. BBC Online notes that the trial of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak will resume today.

Over the weekend, all papers noted that in the latest violence in Syria, army gunboats opened fire on civilian populations in the coastal town of Lattakia, killing 19 people. The Independent noted that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged governments to stop buying Syrian oil. Scotland on Sunday reported on the social protests taking place in Israel and the issue of social economic gaps in the society.

All Israeli papers this morning led with the draft report by State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss that shows neglect on behalf of several organisations and ministers involved in the Carmel fire last December. the front page of Haaretz notes that the organisers of the social protests have set up an alternative panel of experts to create a new socioeconomic policy. The Jerusalem Post newspaper reports that Egypt began Operation Eagle, a significant military operation in Sinai, to stop al-Qaeda and Bedouin terrorists from operating and smuggling weapons in the area.

In other Israeli news, all papers report that the US resumed its aid operations to organisations in Gaza after resolving a threat by Hamas to interfere with the organisations receiving aid. Haaretz reports that Syria is lodging a complaint to the UN over the building of a fence by Israel in the Golan Heights. The paper also reports that a second round of talks aimed at securing prisoner swap deal for abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit are set to begin today in Cairo. The Jerusalem Post carries a report on the internal dispute between Fatah leaders Mahmoud Abbas and Muhammad Dahlan.