The Financial Times, Telegraph, Guardian, i and Independent report that the planning committee at the Jerusalem Municipality has approved the construction of 566 homes in the east of the city. All articles suggest that the timing of the approval has been fuelled by the Trump administration taking office. The Telegraph in particular quotes the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, Meir Turgeman, who said that “the rules of the game have changed,” and that they “no longer have our [their] hands tied” by the Obama administration and “can finally build” in East Jerusalem.

The i and the online edition of the Guardian cover comments made yesterday by the new White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, who announced the possibility of relocating the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, as pledged by Donald Trump during the election campaign. Spicer said the US “at the very beginning stages of even discussing the subject”.

The Times reports on the first call in office yesterday between US President Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Apparently, Netanyahu planned to place Iran and its nuclear ambitions high on the agenda. The article says Netanyahu told his cabinet that “stopping the Iranian threat… continues to be a supreme goal of the state of Israel”. An analysis in the Times by Richard Spencer says that “Netanyahu sees an opening, even though he probably knows the [Iran nuclear] deal will not be completely ripped up”.

The Guardian and Independent report that a British-Iranian mother, who travelled to Iran with her infant daughter to visit family and was arrested, has lost her appeal against a five-year prison sentence for unspecified security offences.

The Guardian previews peace talks between Syria’s government and opposition groups in Kazakhstan today and tomorrow, saying that the Russian-spearheaded conference positions Moscow as “peace broker”. The Independent reports that the incoming Trump administration had declined to send a delegation to the conference.

In the Israeli media, the top story in Israel Hayom is Prime Minister Netanyahu’s first phone conversation with US President Trump, which took place last night, during which Netanyahu was invited to visit Washington next month. Israel Radio says that Netanyahu’s office summarised the conversation saying that Netanyahu wants to work alongside Trump to further peace and security with no daylight between them.

Maariv’s top story focuses on the possibility of moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem. Israel Radio news covers comments made by Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, who said he would welcome such a move. Writing inYediot Ahronot, Nahum Barnea cautions that Trump would need to think carefully about “which Jerusalem he would recognise. If he recognises Israeli sovereignty over all of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, he will cause the entire Muslim world to rise up against America; if he recognises West Jerusalem only—‎he will cause the Evangelist right wing and the Israeli government to rise up against him”.

The main item in Yediot Ahronot is a war of words between supporters of Netanyahu and Holywood producer Aaron Milchan, a key figure in a criminal investigation over Netanyahu’s dealings with prominent businessmen. After Likud MK David Amsalem, considered close to Netanyahu, alleged that Milchan was lying about gifts Netanyahu and his wife had requested, Milchan released a statement, which prompted Netanyahu to disassociate himself from Amsalem’s comments.

Haaretz says Israeli police believe there is enough evidence to prosecute Netanyahu. Israel Radio news reports that the police and the State Attorney’s Office are in complete agreement over bringing charges related to gifts Netanyahu received.

Israel Radio news also reports that National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources Ministry Director General Shaul Meridor will fly to Brussels today to hold talks on a project to build a natural gas pipeline to Europe. He will meet with his colleagues from Italy, Greece and Cyprus and with the European Union energy commissioner.