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Media Summary

Palestinian Authority fears cuts in international aid

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The Guardian reports on the  the passage of the Regulation Bill in the Knesset on Monday, which retroactively hands residents the right to live in West Bank outposts which were built illegally on private Palestinian land. The article highlights criticism from Israel’s opposition leader Isaac Herzog, who described the legislation as a “freight train” leading towards “international indictments” of Israeli leaders.

The Times focuses on jubilation among Israel’s right-wing leaders over the law, especially Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett, who hailed the legislation as a “revolution”.

The Evening Standard and the online edition of the Telegraph both report criticism of the new law from Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood, who expressed “great concern” and said that it threatens the “viability of the two-state solution”. The Telegraph online notes that the legislation is likely to be struck down by Israel’s Supreme Court.

The Financial Times also reports Ellwood’s criticism in a piece on wider international condemnation of the law. It highlights comments from the United Nations’ (UN) Coordinator on the Middle East Peace Process, Nicolay Mladenov, who said that it crosses a “thick red line”.

The Guardian reports that Palestinian leaders have called on the international community to punish Israel over the legislation. The article notes that the United States has said it will withhold comment until a ruling from Israel’s Supreme Court.

The Independent says that the Palestinian Authority (PA) has set up a committee to consider the impact of a potential future cut in American aid.

Writing in the Telegraph, Con Coughlin says that US President Donald Trump’s “warning to Tehran must be supported with firm action”. Last week, the Trump administration put Iran “on notice” after Tehran conducted ballistic missile tests. Coughlin says that Washington must wake up to the “reality of Iran’s pernicious influence in the Middle East”.

The Times online says that Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has shrugged off claims of mass killings inside prisons run by his regime. He told Belgian media that he “doesn’t care” about war crime cases because defending his country is more important.

In the Israeli media, Maariv and Israel Hayom both lead with the fallout from the Knesset’s approval of the Regulation Bill. Maariv reports that Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit will argue against the government’s position on the legislation if it is challenged in court. Israel Hayom highlights the response of the White House, which said that the law will be discussed during Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to Washington next week. Haaretz reports that the European Union has postponed a summit with Israel in protest at the legislation.

Yediot Ahronot has examined Amnesty International’s report of mass killings at a Syrian prison run by President Assad’s regime. Commentator Ben Dror Yemini condemns the Western world for failing to take action against such abuses, saying: “They don’t care because it involves Arabs and Muslims who are killing other Arabs and Muslims. So who cares? They need to reserve their conscience for another campaign against Israel, which is trying to protect itself from the jihadists and the insanity.”

The top story in Yediot Ahronot, also covered prominently in Israel Hayom is Prime Minister Netanyahu’s claim that he was unaware of lavish gifts given to his wife by Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan. Netanyahu’s dealings with prominent businessmen are currently the focus of a criminal investigation.

The main item in Haaretz, which is also covered by Israel Hayom and Israel Radio is a police investigation into claims that the pharmaceutical giant Teva paid bribes to senior officials around the world in order to promote its affairs. Teva’s CEO resigned unexpectedly earlier this week.