The Daily Mail reports that Israeli ministers said on Thursday they want to construct a new apartment building for settlers in the flashpoint city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, in what would be a rare move. The plan is in the early stages and details such as how many units the building would include have not yet been provided. It will eventually require approvals from a Defence Ministry committee and will likely face a legal challenge. The building would be constructed in a former market area in the heart of Hebron, where some 800 Israeli settlers live under heavy military protection amid around 200,000 Palestinians. Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a statement he would “advance planning for a new apartment building above the old wholesale market in Hebron”. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said a “significant breakthrough” has enabled the removal of obstructions for planning approval, without specifying.

Reuters reports that Israel’s main public sector union has threatened to shut down the country’s airports, banks, stock exchange and all government offices from next Wednesday in protest over what it says is the state’s inaction over deaths on construction sites. It said around 40 workers had died on building sites so far in 2018 and 200 others had been seriously injured. Labour activists say 35 died in 2017 and Haaretz said the number of deaths in previous years had averaged around 30. The Histadrut labour federation has demanded the Government adopt European construction standards, beef up safety measures and enforce a law on wearing safety harnesses. “It is shocking and repulsive that in 2018 in Israel, nobody cares (about construction deaths). People wake up in the morning, bid farewell to their families, go to work and don’t return,” Histadrut chief Avi Nissenkorn said at a union conference on Thursday.

 Reuters reports that Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems won a contract worth up to $68m to supply maritime unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and patrol services for the European Maritime Safety Agency in the EU. The contract will be carried out in cooperation with Portuguese engineering company CEiiA. Under the contract, Elbit Systems will lease and operate its Hermes 900 maritime patrol craft and its ground control station.

The Daily Mail reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the EU’s “hypocritical and hostile attitude” on Thursday as he left for talks with four eastern European leaders in Bulgaria. Netanyahu has regularly made such comments against the EU, which is critical of Israel’s occupation and settlement building in the West Bank. To counter such criticism, he has sought alliances with sympathetic EU countries including Hungary, whose nationalist stance has been a thorn in Brussels’s side. “I leave now to a summit of countries, and I will meet with my friends, the prime ministers of Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and the Serbian president,” Netanyahu said. “This is not just a meeting of friends,” he added. “It is also a bloc of countries with whom I want to promote my policy, to change the hypocritical and hostile attitude of the EU.”

 The Telegraph and the BBC report that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly told the White House that Jamal Khashoggi was a dangerous Islamist in a phone call days after the journalist was murdered. Crown Prince Mohammed told Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and John Bolton, the President’s national security advisor, that Khashoggi was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, according to The Washington Post. The Crown Prince’s private disparagement of the murdered journalist is at odds with his public comments, where he described Khashoggi’s killing as “repulsive” and said it was “very painful for all Saudis”.

The Express, David Gardner from the FT and Reuters report that there will likely be economic and political ramifications from Khashoggi’s murder. The Express reports that Eurasia Group macro analyst Leon Levy has argued Saudi Crown Prince bin Salman’s attempts to re-brand his nation as a “modern and diversified economy” could prove futile as a result of the killing and subsequent botched cover-up. Writing for CNN Business, he said: “The perpetrator (or perpetrators) made a critical mistake in assuming that having the power to reach across borders and permanently silence a well-known critic meant they were free to do so without fear of repercussions. It’s a miscalculation that will haunt Saudi Arabia for years.” Levy contended the most significant fallout for Saudi Arabia from the highly-publicised Khashoggi murder would be a decrease in foreign investment after a surge in interest following the ambitious Vision 2030 reform agenda. David Gardner in the FT said it is “becoming clear long before the 33-year-old prince became tainted by the Khashoggi assassination that he cannot deliver. He cannot line up the House of Saud behind a Middle East peace deal as tilted in favour of Israel as Mr Trump and Mr Kushner evidently intend. Prince Mohammed’s ruinous war in Yemen shows the Saudis have no answer to Iran’s winning formula of militias plus missiles — and Washington looks as though it is now calling a halt to the conflict. Senior Arab officials believe the US will also soon insist on an end to the Saudi-led blockade of Qatar. The crown prince is looking more like a liability than an asset. He and his Turkish nemesis have a lot to play for.” Reuters reports that due to Saudi’s reputation becoming increasingly tarnished, Crown Prince bin Salman held a rare meeting with American evangelical Christians on Thursday, as the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom seeks to open up more to the world and repair an image of religious intolerance.

 Reuters, Daily Mail by AFP and FT report on Iran sanctions. Arshad Mohamed and Lesley Wroughton from Reuters write that as US President Trump resumes sanctions on Iran, the success of his push to curb its nuclear, missile and regional activities may hinge on how flexible he is willing to be on his extensive demands to coax Tehran into talks. Washington will reintroduce sanctions on Monday targeting Iran’s most important industry – oil – and US officials have indicated a measure of flexibility is needed to ensure global markets are well supplied to keep prices from surging. In abandoning the international 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Trump and his top aides have touted the re-imposition of economic penalties on Iran as part of a “maximum pressure” campaign to force a change in a wide range of Iranian behaviour. What Trump wants from Tehran, though, is seen by former officials as a “maximalist” position that includes ending uranium enrichment, giving UN inspectors access to all sites across Iran and ceasing support for Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthis in Yemen and the Hamas Palestinian militant group. The Daily Mail reports that all of Iran’s oil exports and financial transactions will be targeted under US sanctions that take force Monday. The sanctions bring back the punitive measures that were imposed and then lifted by former President Barack Obama who reached an international agreement under which Iran moved to end its nuclear programme. While European powers believe the deal has been successful and have sought to preserve trade with Iran, most major companies have chosen to exit the country rather than incur the wrath of US authorities.

Henning Gloystein from Reuters reports that the US government has agreed to let eight countries, including close allies South Korea and Japan, as well as India, keep buying Iranian oil after it reimposes sanctions on Tehran from next week, Bloomberg reported on Friday. Iran’s biggest oil customers – all in Asia – have been seeking sanctions waivers to allow them to still buy some of its oil. Bloomberg reported that a list of all countries getting waivers was expected to be released officially on Monday. The FT reports that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said yesterday: “Europe’s tradition of multilateralism positions it well to play an important role in reinforcing peace and stability, in line with its identity and interests. Iran believes in multilateralism and is prepared to join other peace-loving nations in this path. Cooperation between Iran and Europe will secure the long-term interests of both parties, and ensure international peace and stability.”

 Business Insider via AP reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu is calling Iran the “most potent force of militant Islam” and is warning Europe of possible Iranian attacks on its soil. Speaking to reporters Thursday after talks with his Bulgarian counterpart, Netanyahu said radical Islam is a threat to the world, and that Israel has recently revealed a number of Iranian plots to carry out attacks on European soil.

The BBC reports that WWE stars John Cena and Daniel Bryan have pulled out of an event in Saudi Arabia which is happening on Friday. They haven’t said why, but some are suggesting it’s because of the way the country has handled the death of Khashoggi.

In the Israeli media, all the papers continue their coverage of local elections. Yediot Ahronot profiles three prominent female mayors; Dr. Einat Kalisch Rotem in Haifa, Aliza Bloch in Beit Shemesh and Tal Ohana in Yeruham. Israel Hayom reports on the “battle for Jerusalem” which will see a run-off between Moshe Lion, supported by Shas and Degel Hatorah, and Ofer Berkovich, the secular candidate. The paper suggests that Jewish Home is on the verge of concluding an agreement to support Berkovich. Maariv leads on the dramatic victory for Aliza Bloch in Beit Shemesh.

Israel Hayom prominently reports the Brazilian President tweeting, “We intend to transfer embassy to Jerusalem.”  Prime Minister Netanyahu praised Brazilian president-elect Jair Bolsonaro. Netanyahu called it an historic, proper and moving step. Bolsonaro, who won the Brazilian presidential election this week, reiterated his campaign promise to relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and said that Israel was a sovereign state and that Brazil respected that.

Yediot Ahronot and Maariv prominently report that the police have turned over information to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit about at least two of the three candidates for the post of police commissioner, slated to replace Roni Alsheich. The document presented by the police is said to contain “sensitive and highly embarrassing information” about Asst. Cmdr. Yoram Halevy and Cmdr. (ret.) Moshe Edri. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan is due to announce the new police commissioner by Saturday night. Reports say that the new information is liable to delay the announcement. Kan radio news adds that the attorney general is investigating the information. However, legal officials reportedly believe that there was no substance to the allegations against the candidates. The Israel Police said that they were legally required to report all pertinent information about the candidates to the authorised officials. The police said further that the attempt to ascribe ulterior motives to the commissioner was unprofessional at best and malicious at worst.

Despite the hope that a truce can be reached, Maariv reports that a security vehicle in the community of Alumim in the Sdot Negev Regional Council caught fire and burned down yesterday due to an flying fire balloon released from the Gaza Strip. In addition, an explosive balloon was found in the playground of a kindergarten in the Eshkol Regional Council. The balloon was found by the kindergarten teacher, who removed the children and reported the incident to the local security officer. The balloon was collected by security personnel.

 Yediot Ahronot reports on an initiative by 12^th graders from the Shaar Hanegev regional school who will embark this Sunday on a march from the Gaza perimeter to Jerusalem in protest of the security situation, after seven months of daily terrorism from the Gaza Strip, flying fire kites and balloons, fires and missile fire. The students’ next goal is to persuade the school to support the march: The school’s administration has given its blessing in principle, and now negotiations are being held with the Education Ministry. In an announcement sent to their friends, the organisers of the protest wrote: “We have chosen to take responsibility and walk from Shaar Hanegev to Jerusalem as a proactive protest. The idea behind the march is simple: We’re fed up with the routine of rocket trickles and kites. We demand a real change, a practical solution and a better future.”

Kan radio news reports on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to Bulgaria where he met Prime Minister Boyko Borissov yesterday and thanked him for his steadfast support for Israel. Netanyahu said that this was their third meeting within four months and said that Bulgaria had become an important partner of Israel in the European Union. Netanyahu said that both countries were fighting terrorism and radical Islam together and noted that Israel had recently exposed several attempts by Iran to commit terror attacks on European soil. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet the prime ministers of Romania and Greece and the president of Serbia today.

Maariv reports that Defence Minister Lieberman gave instructions yesterday to promote plans for building a new apartment building on top of the old wholesale market in Hebron, which is located on Jewish land. Sources in the minister’s bureau said that the promotion of the project had been delayed for many years due to legal difficulties, and that recently, at the instructions of Minister Lieberman, the legal adviser of the security establishment, Attorney Itay Ofir, had prepared a legal brief enabling construction at the site to ahead for the first time. The legal brief also received the approval of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. This is the second residential project that Lieberman has promoted within a short time in Hebron, after a period of about 20 years in which no housing units were built in the Jewish settlement.