The Telegraph, Metro, Independent i and the online edition of the Financial Times all report that Israel’s Housing Minister Uri Ariel announced that tenders have been issued for the construction of 1,500 housing units in major West Bank settlement blocs, areas which most assume will remain part of Israel under any future peace deal. Ariel said that the move is designed as a response to the establishment of a Palestinian unity government backed by Hamas. The Times reports vocal Palestinian opposition to Ariel’s move and says that Palestinian leaders have threatened to turn to the United Nations and the International Criminal Court for redress. The Guardian and the Times both note criticism of Ariel’s announcement by Israel’s Justice Minister and chief peace negotiator Tzipi Livni, who called it a “political mistake.”

The Guardian online reports that Australia’s government announced yesterday that it will no longer refer to East Jerusalem as “occupied,” describing the term as “unhelpful.”

The online edition of the Independent says that Israel’s government is supporting a bill to force-feed Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike, but that some medical experts, including from the Israel Medical Association regard such action as “torture.”

The Financial Times, Guardian, Independent i, Telegraph, Times, Evening Standard and Daily Mail all cover an eventful AGM of shareholders of security firm G4S. Protestors demonstrating against a variety of alleged human rights abuses involving the company, including the supply of equipment to Israeli prisons and security installations in the West Bank, were forcibly removed from the meeting. The company also announced it would not be renewing its existing contracts in Israel and the region.

Meanwhile, the Daily Express reports that Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger used an impressive array of Hebrew phrases during the band’s sell-out show in Tel Aviv this week.

The Telegraph online reports that Foreign Secretary William Hague described Syrian President Assad’s apparent electoral victory this week as an “insult” to Syrians who want change, after millions of Assad’s opponents were excluded from the vote with the bitter civil war still raging. The Times online says that the Western-backed Syrian National Council has also rejected the results of the poll. Writing in the Guardian, Ian Black warns that recent elections in Syria and in Egypt, both indicate that the absence of democracy is likely to persist in the Arab world. In the Financial Times online, Roula Khalaf argues that both elections indicate the return of the “Arab strongman” following the hope of the Arab Spring, although the events of recent years shouldn’t be ignored.

In the Israeli media, Haaretz focuses on Housing Minister Uri Ariel’s announcement of tenders for West Bank construction. Israel Radio news says that United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern over the announcement. However, a report in Yediot Ahronot says that quite often such tenders do not actually lead to construction as they either do not attract participating contractors or bids are too low.

Israel Hayom says that a cabinet vote is expected on Sunday on a bill to withhold clemency on those convicted of nationalistically-motivated murder. Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett are reportedly expected to vote in favour of the bill, it will apparently be opposed by Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and Hatnuah leader Tzipi Livni, who fear it will restrict the government’s ability to conduct prisoner exchanges as part of future negotiations.

Meanwhile, Haaretz previews next week’s presidential election. The secret vote of Knesset members will take place on Tuesday. The article says that former-Knesset Speaker and current Likud MK Reuven Rivlin is the clear front-runner, but the big question is who will join him in a second round vote.