All the UK papers and broadcast media report prominently that the Department for International Development released details of two further previously undisclosed meetings the Secretary of State Priti Patel held in September with an Israeli minister – Gilad Erdan and an Israeli official – Yuval Rotem. Latest reports are that Patel is flying back to London and could be asked to resign.

The Times expands on the Patel story, reporting that Patel further breached the Ministerial Code by allowing a “leading figure in a corporate lobbying group,” Lord Polak, sit in on her meetings with Israeli officials. Lord Polak is honorary president of Conservative Friends of Israel and the chairman of the advisory board of TWC Associates, a strategic consultancy.

Roger Boyes has published an op-ed in the Times in which he warns of increasing Iranian influence in Syria and the wider Middle East. He notes that “if this Persian warrior wins, Tehran will be free to find new ways of driving America out of the Middle East”.

The Guardian features an editorial arguing that “there’s only one person running Saudi Arabia: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman”.  The piece also notes that while the Crown Prince’s actions seem to indicate a desire to modernise and liberalise Saudi Arabia’s economy, he “has yet to show he is serious about acquiring these things rather than consolidating his rise to the top”.

The FT reports that Saudi authorities have attempted to reassure nervous investors and others in the business community following the Attorney General’s decision to freeze up to 1,500 bank accounts of suspects detained in the corruption crackdown.

The FT also reports that the recent purges in Saudi Arabia, in combination with low oil prices, have lead to investors reacting negatively. The paper notes that this comes at a time when the Saudi economy is already struggling.

The Times reports that following Saudi Arabia’s closure of all ports, airports and borders in Yemen aid agencies have warned that the humanitarian situation in Yemen will likely worsen.

Yediot Ahronot and Haaretz cover the continued questioning of  Yitzhak Molcho and David Shimron, two close confidants of the Prime Minister.  The police have been questioning them for a third consecutive day in connection with the submarine affair. They are under suspicion of violating an agreement that obligated them to report any contact with a government official. If proven this would amount to a conflict of interest.  Molcho is suspected of having known about Shimron’s actions and therefore, also allegedly is guilty of violating his conflict of interest agreement.  Yediot Ahronot includes a transcript of the confrontation arranged by the police between Shimron and state witness Ganor from Monday, who claims Shimron was supposed to receive 20 per cent of the mediator’s fee on the deal.  Shimron denies this, “there was no such agreement”.

Maariv reveals Israel’s Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer was interviewed by the police in connection with the gifts affair, case 1000.  He was asked to give a statement about actions that he allegedly took to arrange an American visa for Arnon Milchan, in his dealings with the former US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Israel Hayom reports on a near disaster averted last week when IDF paratroopers in training jumped out of a plane on the same path as another aeroplane.  They are blaming a misunderstanding between the plane and the control tower.

Maariv reports on the Cabinet’s decision for the Jewish National Fund (JNF) to transfer 80 per cent of their annual revenue to the Finance Ministry.  The paper quotes the Prime Minister as saying that “we are a small country with big needs. We have the security needs of a world power and we have [to be mindful of] the national needs of the Jewish people, in order to ensure its future. The future of the Jewish people is in the state of the Jews, it’s that simple”.  The JNF was established in 1901,  for the purpose of buying land and settling Jews on it. Because of its unique historic role, the JNF has enjoyed an exemption from taxation on the land that it owns, which is around 12 per cent of all the land in the country.

Israel Hayom follows the opinion of the Defence Ministry’s legal adviser, that Lior Horev broke his commitment as an external media consultant to the police when he criticised the government on Twitter.  The Prime Minister had accused him of being behind the leaks from the police.

Maariv and Haaretz continue exposing charges of sexual assault.   Two women are claiming to have been raped by Alex Gilady going back to 1970s and 1990s. Gilady is a founder of Israel television broadcaster Keshet and was a senior executive at NBC in the US.    He is determined to prove his innocence against these “unsubstantiated claims”.