This morning’s Independent, its sister publication Independent i and the Guardian online all report on Israeli government tenders issued yesterday for the construction of 1,200 homes in the disputed East Jerusalem neighbourhoods of Ramot and Pisgat Zeev. All three reports speculate that the tender announcement is a warning from the Israeli government to the Palestinian Authority to drop its plans to push for an upgrade of its United Nations  delegation to the status of a ‘non-member state.’ Meanwhile, the Financial Times examines the PA upgrade bid at the UN more closely in an editorial, arguing that the support of European states will be crucial if the initiative is to carry any diplomatic weight.

The Financial Times, along with the Guardian and Times report that four retired senior Israeli military officers yesterday faced charges in absentia in a court in Istanbul, Turkey’s capital, over their role in the deaths of nine people onboard the Mavi Marmara ship in 2010. An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman is quoted describing the trial as “a grotesque political show.”  David Cameron’s visit to the Gulf States continues to attract media coverage. An opinion piece in the Guardian criticises the Prime Minister’s visit, arguing that the regimes to which British arms are being sold will eventually fall. The Financial Times reports that the UK and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) issued a joint communiqué indicating UAE interest in purchasing British-made Typhoon fighter jets. However, the online editions of the Guardian, Times, Telegraph, Independent and Financial Times focus on Cameron’s comments on Syria during his visit to Saudi Arabia. Speaking to Al-Arabiya television, the Prime Minister condemned the “appalling slaughter” in Syria but indicated that although bringing him to justice would be preferable, President Assad could be allowed safe passage out of Syria if it means an end to his regime.  In Syria itself, the Times, Guardian, Telegraph and Independent all cover the ongoing violence in their online editions. All report on car bombs which exploded yesterday in Damascus, killing dozens of people, while the Times online and Telegraph online indicate that the UK will offer increased support to armed opposition factions in the country. Meanwhile, the Independent online focuses on the killing of the brother of Syria’s parliamentary speaker and the online edition of the Financial Times reports on the failure so far to agree on a re-structuring of the Syrian opposition leadership at a conference in Qatar.

In Israel, no edition of Maariv was published this morning after employees at the newspaper went on strike in protest at the lack of communication between their representatives and the publication’s new owners over the future of newspaper staff. Other dailies place significant focus on US presidential elections and what the results might mean for relations with Israel. Shimon Shiffer, writing in Yediot Ahronot, predicts that during a second term President Obama will launch public talks with Iran and pressure Netanyahu on Palestinian borders in order to kick-start peace talks. Meanwhile, Israel Hayom claims that former-prime minister Ehud Olmert can be expected to announce his candidacy in Israel’s elections following Obama’s victory. Makor Rishon, Israel Hayom and Yediot Ahronot give prominence to the election of Naftali Bennett as the new leader of the religious Zionist party Jewish Home. Bennett defeated long-time member of parliament Zevulun Orlev, winning 67 per cent of the vote according to Israel Radio News. Orlev announced that he would now retire from politics. Some reports predict that 40-year-old Bennett, who is former chief of staff to Benjamin Netanyahu, may take some votes away from the Likud Beitenu list in the upcoming election.