The Times reports that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Moscow for a two-day visit, during which he will meet with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin over strategic issues and mark 25 years of official ties between the two countries. The article previews likely discussions over the region and especially Syria where Russia and Israel have agreed a military mechanism to avoid unintended clashes while protecting their respective interests. A Times editorial contends that Assad’s reliance on Hezbollah and Russian arms sales to Iran are “not the ingredients of a lasting friendship” between Israel and Russia.

The Metro and Times both report that Israel’s Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit will examine claims by French millionaire Arnaud Mimran, that he 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.

The Telegraph online includes a report that all Christian denominations have cooperated, with Israel’s encouragement, 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.

Meanwhile, the Telegraph and the online editions of the Guardian and Independent all report that five people have been shot dead in a rare attack on Jordan’s intelligence services in the Baqa’a refugee camp near Jordan’s capital Amman. The camp is home to a large number of Palestinians. Some reports speculate that the attack was the work of ISIS, while others say it may have been designed to sow discord between Jordan’s Hashemite and Palestinian populations.

The Guardian online says that three Iranians have been handed three-year prison sentences for online distribution of underground music, described as “insulting to Islamic sanctities” and “spreading propaganda”. Amnesty International says that the three have been subject to abuse and a seriously flawed trial.

In the Israeli media, the top story in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Haaretz and Israel Hayom is the ongoing allegations that French millionaire Arnaud Mimran gave money to Prime Minister Netanyahu. Mimran appears to have revised his account of exactly how much money was transferred to Netanyahu. Writing in Yediot Ahronot, Nahum Barnea says: “Throughout his entire career… Netanyahu stuck to wealthy people who give him favours… Surely he realises that his claim that he gave them nothing is groundless.” With such behaviour, Barnea says Netanyahu “gives these dubious people… the status of the Jewish state”.

A major item in Israel Hayom is the continuing spat between Netanyahu and Jewish Home leader and Education Minister Naftali Bennett. Earlier this week, Bennett accused Netanyahu of hypocrisy, of committing to the Land of Israel in Hebrew, while supporting the idea of a Palestinian state in English. New Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman yesterday took a conciliatory attitude to the dispute, urging Bennett to calm down and commenting “From what I understand and from what I know… there is no intention to move up the elections and there is no intention to dismantle the coalition.”

Meanwhile, Israel Radio news report that shots were fired at two cars last night on Route 465 near the Israeli community of Halamish in the West Bank. No one was injured in the attack, although one car was damaged. A civilian who was in the area fired at the attacker and missed. The IDF is searching for the assailant.