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Media Summary

Metropolitan Police reopen 1987 murder case of Palestinian cartoonist

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The Times and the i report that the Metropolitan Police are reopening the investigation into the murder of Palestinian cartoonist Naji al-Ali 30 years ago. It is suspected that Ali was killed by a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) in response to cartoons he drew that were critical of the PLO leadership at the time. Ali was shot in the neck outside the Knightsbridge offices of Al-Qabas, a Kuwaiti newspaper, in July 1987 and died a month later of his injuries.The Met are hopeful that new witnesses will come forward now as a result of the changed political landscape 30 years on.

The Times reports on statements made in a speech by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the UN is failing to deal with Palestinian hate speech, denies Jewish connections to Jerusalem, and is too soft on Hezbollah.

The Guardian and the i  detail Netanyahu’s assertion that Iran is building sites to produce missiles in Syria and Lebanon. The claim was made in a meeting between Netanyahu and UN Secretary-General  Antonio Guterres. Netanyahu told the Secretary-General that Iran is attempting to turn Syria into a “base of military entrenchment as part of its declared goal to eradicate Israel”.

Yediot Ahronoth reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to pressure Iran to reign in its influence in Syria.

All the Israeli media report on a ruling by the Supreme Court that decided that Israel may deport African migrants to a third country, but only if they go voluntarily. The Court also said that an asylum seekers’ refusal to leave to a third country should not be considered grounds for extending their detention beyond the 60-day period.

Maariv reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Interior Minister Aryeh Deri have said they intend to pass a Knesset law to bypass the High Court ruling. Israel Hayom reports criticism by Gilad Erdan who said the ruling provides an incentive to infiltrators.

Ha’aretz reports that the UN Secretary General is due to demand that Israel ease restrictions on Gaza.

Israel Hayom also reports that the Labour Party leader Avi Gabbay has retracted a promise to secure four spots on the party list for members of Hatnua, the party that joined with Labour before the last elections to form the Zionist Union.

Maariv reports that Gilead Sciences will pay $11.9 billion in cash to buy Kite Pharma, founded by Israeli-American oncologist Arie Belldegrun. The company is part of an emerging area of cancer treatments that train a patient’s immune cells to attack tumours.

The Times of Israel reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas met in Ankara to discuss the peace process.

Israel Hayom reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump are scheduled to meet on Sunday 17 September in New Jersey. Netanyahu’s will be visiting the US to attend the UN General Assembly.

The weekend newspapers covered the resignation of Lior Lotan, who was leading efforts to secure the return of IDF soldiers’ bodies held by Hamas. Ma’ariv reported on the pain and anger of the families of Israelis held in Gaza while Israel Hayom ran an opinion piece calling on the government to appoint a new coordinator in order to rebuild the families’ confidence.