The Times, Telegraph, Guardian, Daily Mail, Daily Express, Daily Mirror and Sun all cover comments made yesterday by Prime Minister Theresa May, who criticised Wednesday’s speech from US Secretary of State John Kerry. The speech was sharply critical of Israeli policy. May said it was inappropriate “to attack the composition of the democratically elected government of an ally”. Although May emphasised that the British government regards Israeli settlements as illegal, she added that they are “far from the only problem”. Some of the reports suggest that May’s comments are intended to draw her closer to incoming US President Donald Trump, who publicly criticised Kerry’s stance.

An editorial in the Guardian says that Washington’s recent intervention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has “a sense of eleventh-hour desperation” to it, as the Obama administration draws to a close. However, it also argues that Kerry’s speech is “better late than never; its symbolic effect is better than none”.

The Guardian online reports that Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop indicated that Australia would not have supported last week’s resolution at the UN Security Council, which mostly criticised Israeli settlements.

The Times reports on suggestions that Israel’s Attorney General has ordered a criminal investigation against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on two unspecified matters. The report claims that one of the matters under investigation is money Netanyahu received from a French billionaire.

The Daily Mail includes a feature on “secretive billionaire” Israeli citizen Dan Gertler and his dealings in Congo’s mining industry. Gertler was recently arrested in Israel on suspicion of corruption.

The Guardian, Telegraph, Times, Financial Times, Independent and i all cover the nationwide truce in Syria that was announced yesterday,  brokered by Russia and Turkey. Government forces and opposition groups have agreed to lay down their arms for the third time this year and are slated to meet in a month’s time for peace talks.

In the Israeli media, Theresa May’s response to John Kerry’s speech is the top story in Israel Hayom, which terms it “Britain vs Kerry”. Israel Radio news this morning also covers this item.

Yediot Ahronot includes the first interview with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas since Kerry’s speech and the UN Security Council resolution which preceded it. Abbas confirmed that American officials had been sent a draft of the resolution before it was submitted. He also said that Kerry’s speech and the resolution demonstrated that “the US acted as a true friend, which wants to save Israel”. Abbas also added: “We are aware of the fact that the US will continue to be Israel’‎s friend and not our friend.”

Maariv reports on comments from a French official who said that the peace conference being held in Paris on 15 January “will determine the main principles for an Israeli-Palestinian agreement before we enter a period of total uncertainty”. The official predicted a “grim tone” to the conference following last week’s UN Security Council resolution. Delegates from around 70 countries are expected to attend the conference, although Israeli and Palestinian representatives have not been invited.

The top story in Yediot Ahronot and Maariv is the growing speculation that Prime Minister Netanyahu will face a criminal investigation over allegations of corruption. Israel Radio covers a Channel Two report which suggests that the allegations relate to money received by two separate businessmen, one Israeli and the other foreign. Israel Hayom says that an announcement by the Attorney General may be made as early as next week.