The Independent features the news that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is to be handed unprecedented authority over West Bank settlement authorisation. “The changes make it easier for Israel to expand its settlements on land the Palestinians seek as the heartland of their future state, at a time when hopes for peace are more distant than ever,” the paper writes. It also notes that Smotrich’s gain will come at the expense of other figures within the Defence Ministry, in which Smotrich also holds a supplementary brief and which traditionally has enjoyed authority over settlement questions.

The Independent also covers Netanyahu’s remarks yesterday that he opposes any interim agreement reportedly being negotiated between the US and Iran over its nuclear programme.

The Guardian reports on the expected presentation by the UK government next week of a bill banning local British councils from imposing boycotts on Israeli goods. Michael Gove, the cabinet minister responsible for local government, said: “It is simply wrong that public bodies have been wasting taxpayers’ time and money pursuing their own foreign policy agenda. The UK must have a consistent approach to foreign policy, set by UK government. These campaigns not only undermine the UK’s foreign policy but lead to appalling antisemitic rhetoric and abuse. That is why we have taken this decisive action to stop these disruptive policies once and for all.”

The Times covers the announcement that IT company Intel is to build a $25 billion chip factory in Israel. Announcing the deal – the largest ever single investment in Israel – Prime Minister Netanyahu called it a “a tremendous achievement for the Israeli economy”. To be located in Kiryat Gat, the factory will form part of a wider investment – alongside sites in Germany and Poland – partly funded by the EU and with the aim of weaning Europe off of chips manufactured in the far East.

The Independent also covers recent incidents which continue to show the rise in violent crime withing Israel’s Arab community. “A relentless wave of violent crime within Israel’s Palestinian minority is turning cities and towns into bloody battlefields, exasperating a community feeling increasingly forsaken by Israeli authorities”. It notes that according to the Abraham Initiatives, over 100 people have been killed in violent crime in Arab communities this year, nearly three times higher than at the same time last year.

The Times covers Israeli film producer Arnon Milchan’s upcoming testimony, scheduled for this week, in Netanyahu’s ongoing criminal trial. One of the charges faced by the prime minister relates to the alleged receipt of gifts from Milchan, who will testify by video link from Brighton.

The Independent features a story on Israeli passenger anger over a Ryanair flight crew member’s misidentification of Tel Aviv as being in “Palestine”, during a flight from Bologna to Tel Aviv on June 10. Police had to be called to meet the flight at Ben Gurion on arrival, after passengers were angered by what the airline calls “an innocent mistake with no intent”.

There is wide Israeli media coverage of what Yediot Ahronot describes as Netanyahu’s “bombshell” announcement at the end of yesterday’s cabinet meeting that the government would begin to legislate judicial reforms even in the absence of agreements with the opposition. “We will do this in a measured and responsible manner in keeping with the mandate that we received,” said Netanyahu. Opposition leaders reacted with dismay, while protest organisers announced an intensifying of dissent and demonstration in response. Opposition Chairman Yair Lapid, who, along with Benny Gantz, suspended participation in negotiations facilitated by President Herzog last week said: “Netanyahu’s announcement that he intends to move ahead with the judicial revolution unilaterally will deliver a mortal blow to the economy, it will endanger security and will tear the people of Israel to shreds. Instead of firing [Justice Minister and reform architect] Yariv Levin, Netanyahu is firing the State of Israel.”

Maariv cites sources close to Netanyahu saying: “We can’t continue to follow the left-wing’s rules, the rules of the protest leaders. After all, their behaviour isn’t in favour of sincere dialogue but extortion with threats. We are definitely taking into account that the opposing side will try to kindle the protest, to return it to the heights of anarchy. We hope that the broad public doesn’t buy into their incitement.”

Maariv also cites the response of the markets to Netanyahu’s announcement, noting that “After the day began with a rise in share prices, the day ended with sharp falls because of his announcement. The Tel Aviv 35 and the Tel Aviv 125 indices which had risen by about 0.7% in the morning, and the banks index which had the sharpest rise of about 1.2%, then dropped. The Tel Aviv 35 dropped by about 1% and the Tel Aviv 125 and the bank indices of about 0.8%.”

Haaretz reports US concerns over Israeli government plans, announced yesterday, to shorten the process of approving construction in West Bank Jewish settlements. In moves which look set to ease and accelerate settlement expansion, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was also given increased authority over the process. “The United States is deeply troubled by the Israeli government’s reported decision to advance planning for over 4,000 settlement units in the West Bank. We are similarly concerned by reports of changes to Israel’s system of settlement administration that expedite the planning and approvals of settlements,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

In a related story, Maariv reports the Supreme Planning and Construction Committee yesterday releasing the agenda for its upcoming meeting, set to include discussion of the construction of 4,560 new housing units in settlements across Judea and Samaria. Hundreds of new housing units in Neve Tzuf and Eli are expected, along with hundreds of housing units in Givat Zeev and Beitar Illit, 340 housing units in Maale Adumim, 381 in Revava. 343 in Elkana, 287 in Adora and 196 in Telem. Construction in the E1 zone, between Maale Adumim and Jerusalem, is not set to be on the committee’s agenda, however, in a likely concession from Netanyahu to US concerns over the impact of settlement expansion on the prospects for a two-state solution.

Kan Radio cites the unusual public intervention yesterday of Aharon Barak, retired President of the Israeli Supreme Court and a frequent target of criticism from judicial reformers who argue that it was Barak who began the court’s development into an inappropriately political and over-reachingly interventionist body. Barak suggested a willingness to accept a bill limiting the court’s ability to apply the test of reasonability to strike down policy decisions of the government. Any bill must be the sole judicial reform for now, he said, and must not apply to reasonability oversight of government administrative decisions such as the appointment of ministers. The current court used grounds of reasonability, alongside the principle of estoppel, in blocking the appointment of Shas leader Aryeh Deri as a minister in January.