The Financial Times has published a long read by former UK Foreign Minister, Sir Alan Duncan, criticising Liz Truss’ plan to move the UK Embassy to Jerusalem, stating it transgresses policy obligations to countries such as Jordan and the move would prove ‘recklessly inflammatory’. The Financial Times also reports that Liz Truss has been urged by other foreign policy experts to rethink the move, fearing that a relocation could damage the UK’s reputation and jeopardise security in the region. The Times adds that, while the Labour Party, Liberal Democrats and SNP are all opposed, this should not be a partisan issue. Prominent Conservatives too have rejected the move, most recently Lord Hague of Richmond.

Reuters reports on the end of the Israel-Lebanon maritime border deal, saying Aoun said the deal represented an “historic achievement” in which Lebanon regained 860 square km (around 330 square miles) of disputed maritime territory but insisted it did not pave the way to normalization of relations with Israel.

The BBC and The Guardian reports on our main story, that Tens of thousands of Palestinians are being subjected to tight restrictions on movement by the Israeli military in parts of the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The closures are taking place amid a fresh wave in violence across the occupied territories.

Reuters reports that Israel posted a budget surplus of 0.9% of gross domestic product (GDP) in September over the prior 12 months, up from 0.6% the previous month, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday, citing high tax revenue. Israel has a deficit target of 3.9% of GDP for 2022. In shekel terms, Israel recorded a budget deficit of 100 million shekels ($28 million) last month, bringing the surplus so far in 2022 to 33.3 billion shekels.

On Iran, the BBC reports that in video messages and on social media, young women, victims of a violent crackdown, explain why they risked their lives to defy authorities. The BBC have also published a simple guide to why the protests are happening and what protesters want, and Reuters have reported that protesters are keeping up their actions despite mourning fatalities.

Kan Radio and Haaretz report that Lebanon officially announced yesterday that it accepts the agreement. Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that the agreement grants Lebanon all its rights and was not a step towards normalization with Israel, which he said would be inconceivable.

Discussing the violence in Jerusalem and the West Bank, Amos Harel in Haaretz writes that “we are in the midst of the grimmest series of events in the West Bank since the mini-intifada of stabbing and car-ramming attacks that began in the fall of 2015 and died out the following spring… The night clashes followed a day-long general strike that was declared in East Jerusalem. According to Aviv Tatarsky, from the NGO Ir Amim, who has been monitoring the events in Jerusalem for years, the general strike reflects an attempt to move from violent demonstrations and shooting attacks to a more extensive popular protest, and to expand the arena of events from the West Bank to Jerusalem. In his view, this tendency poses a dual challenge to the Israeli security forces. First, the forceful suppression of a broad protest – in contrast to a confrontation with a limited number of rioters – could actually exacerbate the situation. Second, because there is no practical way to isolate the clashes in Jerusalem, they will affect Jewish neighbourhoods as well.”

Maariv publishes a poll about support for the maritime deal with Lebanon amongst the public. 42 per cent said they were in favour with 31% against. The disagreement is primarily divided across political lines. Within the pro-Netanyahu bloc, 18% are in favour with 58% against and 24% saying they didn’t know. Within the anti-Netanyahu bloc 76% are in favour, 4% against and 20% saying they didn’t know.

In election news, Maariv writes about Netanyahu’s Shaked Dilemma, arguing that based on polling, the right wing has no majority without Ayelet Shaked’s Jewish Home. “If Netanyahu calls this week to vote for the Jewish Home, then according to the poll it will cross the electoral threshold and have four seats, and the pro-Netanyahu bloc will then have 62 seats.” Current polling has the pro-Netanyahu bloc on 60 – Likud with 32 Religious Zionist party with 13, Shas with 8 and UTJ with 7; the current coalition with 56 – Yesh Atid on 24, National Unity party on 12, Yisrael Beiteinu with 6, Labour Party 5, Meretz: 5, and the United Arab List with 4. Hadash and Taal are polling on four seats.