There was no significant coverage of Israel in the UK media over the weekend. Numerous outlets covered the UN Security Council’s latest resolution on Syria, according to which the UN will deploy 300 observers in Syria for the next three months. BBC online assessed that the resolution was watered down as China and Russia refused to support sanctions. Peter Oborne in the Sunday Telegraph was critical of Home Secretary Theresa May and her handling of Sheikh Raed Saleh’s arrest, who he described as “a distinguished Palestinian politician.”

In today’s media, the Daily Telegraph reports that splits between the Syrian opposition factions are easing the pressure on Assad. The paper also reports tension within the Likud party over a decision to evacuate an unauthorised settlement outpost in the West Bank. The BBC reports online that the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company has announced it has unilaterally ended the agreement to supply natural gas to Israel. Reutersreports on calls for the Grand Mufti of Cairo, Ali Gomaa, to resign after he made a private visit to the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem last week. TheGuardian reports that Iran claims to have ‘reverse engineered’ an American unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that was shot down. The US has dismissed claims that Iran will now be able to replicate the drone. The debate over the participation of the Israeli Habima theatre company in this summer’s Cultural Olympiad festival continues, with an argument between actresses Miriam Margolyes and Maureen Lipman reported in theDaily Telegraph.

In the Israeli media on Sunday, Yediot Ahronot led with a preview of their interview with IDF Chief of Staff Gantz with the headline “IDF Prepared for Action Against Iran at the Moment it is Required.” Maariv revealed Foreign Minister Lieberman delivered a document to the Prime Minister warning of the deterioration in the Sinai and the need for Israel to build up a range of contingency plans. He was also quoted as saying, “the Egyptian subject is more disturbing than the Iranian issue.” Israel Hayom ran the urgent announcement from Counter Terrorism Unit warning for all Israelis to leave the Sinai peninsula. Also in Israel Hayom there is a report from Egyptian sources of a possible exchange deal in which Israeli citizen Ouda Tarabin, who has already served 12 years in an Egyptian prison on charges of espionage, would be released. All the papers commented on the political brinkmanship over the  Ulpana neighbourhood in Beit El. Haaretz and Ma’ariv quote senior Likud ministers and Defence Minister Barak exchanging harsh words. All the papers also covered the recent spate of football violence that reached a peak this weekend with a 22-player brawl. In other regional news Israel Hayom quoted Lebanese President Michel Suleiman saying, “If Israel attacks Iran, it will not be bombarded with missiles from Lebanon. No one has the right to operate out of Lebanon without the consent of the Lebanese government, which will decide unanimously on the correct approach for it, and that applies to the Hezbollah organisation as well”.

The Israeli press leads with the cancellation of the natural gas deal with Egypt, and concerns about the implications for the Israeli-Egyptian peace deal. Speaking on Galei Zahal radio, foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman said “the peace treaty is important to the State of Israel, but it is no less important to Egypt.” Haaretz reports that Israeli naval commandos boarded a Liberian-flagged ship yesterday, on suspicion that it was bringing arms to Gaza. Israel Radio reports that foreign minister Lieberman travels to Azerbaijan today, where Iran is likely to top the agenda. Maarivreports that political wrangling over the evacuation of the Ulpana outpost continues, with defence minister Barak pledging to uphold the Supreme Court ruling to remove the 30 houses by the end of the month. The issue is making waves inside the government coalition, with threats of resignation from the 3-member National Home faction and a Likud meeting in support of the settlers last night. According to Yediot Ahronot,no Likud ministers attended the rally at the prime minister’s request, but several MKs from his party were among the 500 people who took part. The Jerusalem Post reports that the Attorney-General, Yehuda Weinstein, is considering opening plea-bargain negotiations with Avigdor Lieberman, who faces fraud charges after police investigations that have stretched over a decade. Haaretz reports that Google Street View, which gives 3D views of Israel’s streets, has gone live.