Reuters reports that the US plans to work closely with Israel’s new government. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a left-leaning Jewish group in Washington on Sunday that the US continues to support a two-state solution to end the decades-long conflict with the Palestinians. The administration expects “the new Israeli Government to continue to work with us to advance our shared values, just as we have previous governments,” Blinken told J Street “We will gauge the government by the policies it pursues rather than individual personalities,” he said.

Reuters also reports that Israel’s finance minister signed an order to eliminate customs duties on agricultural and industrial imports from South Korea, including on cars, as a new free trade agreement between the countries took effect. On Sunday, Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman made the change, which will result in the end of a 7% customs duty imposed on South Korean auto imports and a 12% customs duty on air conditioners, after the free trade agreement was ratified in March, according to Israel’s Tax Authority.

Reuters further reports that Israeli forces killed a Palestinian during an arrest raid in the occupied West Bank on Monday, according to Palestinian officials. The Israeli military said that security forces arrested three terrorist suspects near the city of Bethlehem. During the operation, Palestinians threw rocks, firebombs, and explosive devices at the troops, who returned fire, the military said. A 22-year-old Palestinian was killed, according to Palestinian medical workers.

Reuters also reports that Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa met President Isaac Herzog on Sunday in the first visit by an Israeli head of state to the Gulf state since the countries forged ties two years ago and as a right-wing coalition government takes shape in Israel. Herzog will then visit the United Arab Emirates, which also normalised ties with Israel.

Reuters also reports that a Palestinian car thief rammed through a checkpoint on the way to Israel’s main airport on Sunday, authorities said, setting off a security alert in what they described as the result of poor navigation on his part rather than an attempted attack. Video circulated on social media showed passengers in Ben Gurion Airport’s departure terminal crouching alongside their luggage as instructions sounded over loudhailers.

The Guardian publishes a piece saying that a new documentary about the killing of the Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is likely to increase pressure on the Biden administration to ensure that the FBI is permitted to fully investigate her death after Israel said it would not cooperate. Al Jazeera claims to present video evidence that at least one Israeli soldier was targeting the journalists.

The Daily Mail reports on Israeli aircraft striking several military sites in the Gaza Strip early Sunday, hours after Palestinian militants fired a missile into southern Israel in a move apparently linked to rising tension in the occupied West Bank. The attack came as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad threatened to retaliate after Israeli troops killed two of its leaders in the West Bank town of Jenin on Thursday.

Maariv reports on the Likud’s apparent refusal to commit to passing an override clause that requires a 61-vote majority to pass in its coalition negotiations with Agudat Yisrael, the Hasidic faction of UTJ. While the religious party is said to be insistent on a 61-vote override to ensure successful passage and implementation of a military draft law that will exempt yeshiva students, the Likud is said to favour an override provision with a higher majority. The issue of the override clause, allowing the Knesset to overrule decisions of the Supreme Court, has been deeply contested since November’s elections. While reform of the system has long been a priority for factions within the incoming coalition, critics say that a majority of only 61 MKs being able to strike down Supreme Court rulings represents a dangerous threat to the separation of powers.

Channel 12’s Amit Segal and Israel Hayom’s Hanan Greenwood report further details of last week’s successful negotiations between the Likud and Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism. Although set to be appointed Finance Minister, Smotrich’s influence in the Defence Ministry will extend to having the power to appoint both the director of the Civil Administration and the coordinator of government activities in the territories. Greenwood notes that this authority will give Smotrich “the power to convene the Supreme Planning and Construction Committee, which is responsible for approving construction in Judea and Samaria” and that he “will be able to maintain optimal control over both organisations and their priorities, and to neutralise any possible internal opposition.” In the light of these revelations, Army Radio reports criticism of Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu from outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid.

Ynet reports Israeli strikes against Hamas facilities in Gaza on Saturday night, in response to the firing of a rocket into Southern Israel. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) is said to have fired the rocket, which Israeli officials confirm caused neither casualties nor the triggering of the defensive Iron Dome system. Hamas responded to the Israeli strikes by firing anti-aircraft missiles at Israeli fighter jets.

Israel Hayom, meanwhile, reports Israeli anger at United Nations’ Mideast coordinator Tor Wennesland’s criticism of the killing by Israeli forces of Palestinian Ammar Mefleh in the West Bank last week. Wennesland tweeted “Horrified by today’s killing of a Palestinian man, Ammar Mefleh, during a scuffle with an Israeli soldier near Huwwara in the occupied West Bank”, to which the paper reports Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Emmanuel Nahshon responding: “[the incident was] a terror attack, in which an Israeli policeman was stabbed in his face and the life of another police officer was threatened and consequently he shot his assailant. This is NOT a ‘scuffle’ – this is a terror attack!”

I24 News covers Israeli President Isaac Herzog meeting with Bahrain’s Jewish community during his historic visit to the Gulf State– the first official visit to the country by an Israeli head of state. Before his departure Herzog had told reporters: “This is another historic step in the relationship between Israel and Arab states, signed with the Abraham Accords, and another step toward more and more nations joining the circle of peace with the State of Israel.” Army Radio gives further specifics on topics of mutual interest discussed during the visit, quoting Herzog as saying: “The Bahrainis at the moment are strengthening their relations with us in all spheres. It’s no secret that this is also in the military sphere. We’ve been discussing with the Bahrainis a lot of issues and [i.e. including], of course, cooperation against the regional threats.” Israel Hayom reports on Herzog’s next diplomatic visit to the UAE, where expectation of his arrival has prompted some local protest.