The UK media gives extensive, and largely negative, coverage to US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s visit to Israel on Sunday. The Guardian describes his tour as “blunder-strewn”, whilst the Times’ Hugo Rifkind ponders whether Romney is “a hawk or just a tactless weirdo”. The Financial Times notes that Romney pledged his support for an Israeli attack on Iran and for moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, provoking sharp clarifications from the Obama administration. The Independent notes strong Palestinian objections to Romney’s comments that Israelis were more economically successful than Palestinians because of “culture” and “providence”. The paper’s leader writer concludes Romney has “a lot to learn” about foreign policy. The Financial Times reports on a package of austerity measures approved by the Israeli cabinet yesterday, as the global economic slowdown begins to affect Israel’s relatively robust economy. The paper also notes a decision by the international tribunal into the murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri. The tribunal will try the alleged killers in absentia. The Times reports that jihadist foreign fighters are infiltrating the ranks of the Free Syrian Army. The Guardian has a feature on life in Gaza, with unemployment, poverty, depression and domestic violence on the rise since the Hamas coup in 2007. The Daily Telegraph reports that Israeli archaeologists may have uncovered the first reliable evidence of biblical strongman Samson, who slew the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass.

The Israeli media concentrates on the austerity measures approved by the cabinet yesterday. Israel Radio news reports that petrol prices are set to rise by nearly half a shekel tonight. Increases in income tax and VAT will be introduced in the coming weeks. Maariv describes the measures as only a prelude to further, deeper cuts in public expenditure. The vote was easily carried in cabinet yesterday, although nine ministers did vote against. As expected Shas and Ehud Barak’s Independence faction opposed the cuts. Haaretz notes that Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz immediately cut 188m NIS from the defence budget, a move which was dismissed as “childish and irresponsible” by Barak’s spokesperson. Likud minister Moshe Kahlon also voted against. Writing in Maariv, Mazal Mualem describes the vote as “just like the good old days” before Kadima joined and then left the government, with Netanyahu sure of cabinet support for his policies, even if some ministers oppose. Yediot Ahronot continues to digest Mitt Romney’s visit to Israel, and tomorrow’s visit by Defence Secretary Leon Panetta. Shimon Shiffer writes that the Obama administration’s policy is that military action will only be necessary in a year and a half, and until then, they will impose tough sanctions in order to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Haaretz urges Israeli policymakers to heed the warnings of IDF top brass, who argue against unilateral Israeli action. The Jerusalem Post reports that officials in Washington DC were left “scratching their heads” over Romney’s comments. The Jerusalem Post notes that the Tal Law, which governed the issue of drafting ultra-Orthodox men into the IDF will expire tonight, with no alternate legislation in place.  Ynet notes a report by the US State Department on international religious freedoms, which shows a rise in anti-Semitism. Religious freedom is declining in China and Iran.