The Times, the BBC, The Guardian and Reuters all cover our main story, on the deaths of four Israelis in a terror attack near the settlement of Eli in the West Bank yesterday. The Times’ Anshel Pfeffer writes: “The deadly attack has already amplified voices in Israel that have been calling for a big offensive against the Palestinian militant groups operating in the Jenin and Nablus areas, where the Palestinian Authority security forces have lost control of the semi-autonomous area.”

The Independent runs a story alleging that the hillside terraces around the West Bank village of Battir are under threat from Israeli settlement construction. The terraces, with their traditional methods of agriculture and irrigation, are designated a world heritage site by UNESCO, and local Palestinians and Israeli environmentalists are concerned that the Har Gilo West expansion project threatens their survival. In response, head of the Gush Etzion settlement council Shlomo Ne’eman, told the paper the plans “aren’t close to the terraces, don’t approach them, don’t harm and don’t touch them.”

On our main story, of the death of four Israelis in terror attacks in the West Bank yesterday, Kan Radio reports that two of the victims – the 18-year-old Elisha Antman and 21-year-old Harel Masoud – were laid to rest last night. 63-year-old Ofer Fierman and 17-year-old Nahman Shmuel Moradof will be laid to rest today. Maariv, meanwhile, quotes Aviad Gadot brother of Morel Nikar, who killed the terrorist at the gas station, writing on Twitter: “My heroic brother went to the Eli gas station to fill up his tires. His son wanted to help him fill his tires, but a vehicle with Arabs who looked at them suspiciously pulled up 15 meters away. My brother was suspicious, and told the boy to stay in the car. Suddenly the doors of the vehicle opened and they came out armed with M-16s and started murdering. The children lay down on the floor of the car. My brother outflanked one terrorist and fired ten bullets at him, until he fell.”

Yediot Ahronot reports criticism of US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides for a tweet seeming to draw equivalence between yesterday’s terror attack and Monday’s Israeli operation in Jenin. “Deeply concerned about the civilian deaths and injuries that have occurred in the West Bank these past 48 hours, including that of minors. Praying for the families as they mourn the loss of loved ones, or tend to those injured,” Nides tweeted. In response, Israel’s ambassador to the US Michael Herzog tweeted: “Today, yet another heinous Palestinian terror attack claimed the lives of four innocent Israeli civilians. There is no justification whatsoever for the targeting and killing of innocent civilians. It must be unequivocally condemned. Any attempt of a so called ‘balanced’ condemnation is misguided and disrespectful to the memory of the victims.” Following Herzog’s tweet, Nides posted a second tweet saying: “I condemn in the strongest terms the senseless murder of four innocent Israelis today – my heart is with their grieving family members.” There was also Israeli criticism of the tweet of UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland, which also appeared to draw an equivalence.

Channel 12 News reports right-wing activists and officials heading to the unauthorised settlement of Evyatar and demanding the government order its authorisation in response to the attack. There, Samaria Regional Council Chairman Yossi Dagan said: “I call on the government to authorise Evyatar immediately. The return to Evyatar is the correct Zionist response to murderous terrorism… We will strike the Arab enemy at the spot that hurts him the most. Anyone who tries to expel us from our land will get a thousand Evyatars. A thousand Homeshes. Thousands of points of settlement.” The channel also reports settlers torching two vehicles in Huwara and trying to set fire to a school. According to Palestinian reports, four people were wounded.

In other news, Haaretz reports yesterday’s vote in the election for the leadership of the Israeli Bar Association. The vote is crucial to the judicial reforms since, as currently structured, the key Judicial Selection Committee must include two members of the association. Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s reforms seek to reduce the association’s influence on the committee, and the outcome of the election could play a crucial role in the success or failure of such a move. The voting had to be extended to 8pm following higher than expected turnout, with long lines forming at some polling stations. Higher turnout was predicted to favour the candidacy of Amit Becher, a prominent anti-reform activist and a former lawyer in the State Prosecutor’s Office in Tel Aviv focussing on taxes and financial issues – the division handling Netanyahu’s trial. A Becher victory would come at the expense of his rival Efi Nave, the coalition’s preferred candidate who in a previous stint as Bar Association chair helped former Justice Minister Ayalet Shaked install more conservative judges on the Supreme Court. While no result has yet been declared, Walla News is reporting that Becher has secured a victory, and quotes Nave conceding by saying “The battle that was not in my favour, became a left-right war, the professional agenda of the bureau was ignored.”

Haaretz also reports the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee postponing a hearing planned for today. The session, set to discuss revoking the Supreme Court’s use of reasonableness as grounds to strike down government administrative decisions – another important plank of the judicial reform – in the wake of yesterday’s terror attacks. Lawmakers were also informed that next week’s session on the issue had also been postponed.

Channel 12 News features the story of video emerging of Arabic-speaking IDF soldiers praising Jenin terrorists, following Monday’s raid. “Allah is with Jenin and Palestine,” the troops are heard saying; “Israel can go to hell.” From their Southern IDF Transport Centre base the soldiers also said, “God supports Jenin,” “God supports Palestine”, and “This video will lead you to God,” before posting the footage online. IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told Kan Radio this morning: “At present five arrestees are being questioned and they will be treated very severely. However, it’s vital not to throw out the baby with the bathwater: enlisting soldiers from all walks of Israeli society is still the right thing to do.”