BBC News Online reports that the head of Iran’s wrestling federation has resigned after criticising the situation where players are punished because of Iran’s ban on athletes competing against Israel. Rasoul Khadem, an Olympic gold medallist, was re-elected as the Iranian Wrestling Federation head only two months ago. Other council members have also reportedly resigned. Wrestler Alireza Karimachiani was banned for six months after throwing a match to avoid an Israeli opponent last year. Earlier this month, Khadem criticised Iranian authorities for their stance on Israeli opponents and called for a “fundamental solution” to the ongoing problem. “Forcing an athlete to accept defeat or run around all night looking for a doctor’s note is not right,” he said.

The Telegraph and the Daily Mail report that satellite images reportedly show Iran has established a base outside of Damascus to house missiles capable of hitting Israel, crossing a “red line” for the Israeli government as it struggles to stop Iranian entrenchment in Syria. Images from the Israeli satellite firm ImageSat International appear to show a pair of newly built missile hangars on the base, which strongly resemble hangars at another Iranian compound that Israel bombed last year. The new base, located around eight miles north-west of Damascus, is being run by the Quds Force, the expeditionary arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), which has spearheaded Iran’s involvement in Syria.

The Daily Mail via AP reports that representatives of thousands of Ethiopian Jews have said they will stage a mass hunger strike if Israel stops funding to allow them to join their families in Israel. Hundreds have gathered at a synagogue in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa to express concern that Israel’s proposed budget removes the funding to help them reunite with relatives. Most of the nearly 8,000 Ethiopian Jews in the East African nation are said to have family members already in Israel. Some claim they have been separated for more than a decade.

The Daily Mail via AP reports that an Israeli organisation said on Wednesday that it has minted a coin bearing US President Donald Trump’s image to honour his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The Mikdash Educational Center said the “Temple Coin” features Trump alongside King Cyrus, who 2,500 years ago allowed Jews to return to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon. The organisation minted 1,000 biblical half-shekel coins that can be purchased with a minimum donation of $50. The coin cannot be used as currency.

The Times reports on the reopening of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre after Israel suspended tax plans that led to the three-day closure. Religious leaders shut the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Jesus is said to have been buried, because of proposals to charge a levy on church properties.

The Guardian reports that Israel’s Ashdod symphony orchestra in Jerusalem will play music composed by Nazi concentration camp victims this April in order to celebrate Israel’s 70th anniversary of independence. Among the pieces to be performed for the first time in public is a song written by the Jewish musician, author and poet Ilse Weber, who worked as a nurse in the hospital at Theresienstadt concentration camp and taught some of her compositions to the children in the camp. When Weber’s husband, Willi, was deported to Auschwitz in 1944, she also voluntarily transferred with their young son, Tommy. The family were all gassed. While none of the songs that Weber wrote in the camp were ever written down, one was memorised by Aviva Bar-On, a child whom she had treated in Theresienstadt – and Bar-On will sing it for the first time since the war.

The Daily Mail reports that a recent news report on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has been heavily criticised for selectively editing a story about Ahed Tamimi, the Palestinian teenager arrested for slapping and kicking Israeli soldiers.

Israel Hayom quotes a senior security official who says that “Iran is playing with fire” in Syria. In an opinion piece in Haaretz, Amos Harel writes that the satellite images of Iranian missile base in Syria may signal an Israeli strike, with the Fox News report from yesterday evoking the BBC report from December about a military base which was bombed a few weeks later.

Ma’ariv reports statements by a senior IDF official that in the next war in Lebanon the IDF will target Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The assessment is that Hezbollah is capable of firing more than 1,000 rockets every day during a war.

Yediot Ahronot, Haaretz and Maariv all report that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara will be questioned simultaneously tomorrow. The Prime Minister is considered to be a suspect and will be questioned under caution with Mrs Netanyahu will only be asked to give a statement at this stage. Maariv reports that the police fought to keep Shaul Elovitch, who holds a controlling share of Bezeq, and Nir Hefetz, the former media adviser to Netanyahu, in custody until after the Prime Minister was questioned.

Yediot Ahronot reports that the State Attorney’s Office and police examined whether questioning Netanyahu under caution in Case 3000 would cause Germany to cancel the submarine deal. The German government approved the submarines deal in October 2017 but added a clause in the memorandum of understanding that noted that if it were to become evident that the deal was tainted by corruption, the German government reserved the right to withdraw from that deal.

Kan Radio News reports that last night a meeting was held between Netanyahu and the leaders of the ultra-Orthodox parties with a team due to be established headed by Minister Yariv Levin with representatives from each of the coalition factions to try and draw up a conscription bill that they can all agree on.

Haaretz, Maariv and Israel Hayom all report a shake-up in Meretz with Zehava Galon (the incumbent leader) and Ilan Gilon deciding not to run for Party Chair on 22^nd March.

Haaretz reports that Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid asked Finance Ministry officials to formulate an opinion on a bill to help his friend Arnon Milchan, who is suspected of bribery in Case 1000.