The Telegraph has written that the Archbishop of Canterbury is “concerned” over Liz Truss’s suggestion that she would relocate the British embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The Most Rev Justin Welby spoke out against her comments, claiming that it would be inappropriate to relocate the embassy. The status of Jerusalem, which both Israelis and Palestinians claim as their capital, is among the most sensitive and contentious issues in the long-running conflict.

The Telegraph also publishes a piece on Israel’s tourism industry, recommending visitors see Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Eilat, the Negev Desert and more this Winter.

The BBC, the Financial Times, and Reuters all report on our main story on the conclusion of talks on the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon. The Guardian added an interview in their write-up with Orna Mizrahi of the INSS, whose podcast on the topic we published just recently, which you can listen to here.

Bloomberg UK reports that Israel has the fastest growth and one of the lowest rates of inflation and jobless. On top of that, the shekel is the world’s best-performing currency among the 31 that trade actively and the only one that strengthened against the dollar the past decade.

The Guardian reports that a Russian pop star, Alla Pugacheva, who was critical of the invasion of Ukraine has fled the country to Israel under the Jewish law of return. Israel has become a safe haven for thousands of Jews seeking refuge from the war.

The Independent reports on the UN warning of a mass outbreak of cholera in Syria and Lebanon, with more than 13,000 new suspected cases of the disease being reported this month. This would mark the first outbreak in more than ten years.

On Iran, the Financial Times have published a long read on girls’ lives under the regime, as well as an article dichotomising the ageing regime and the young age of most protesters, who cannot remember pre-revolution Iran but are inspired by it. The BBC report on the security situation at the Iraqi-Iranian border, with crackdowns on crossings increasing. The BBC also reports that economic conditions in Iran were a big factor in the start of the protests, as economic shrinkage, causing a lack of choice for women, poorer living standards and loss of jobs and opportunities has created a hostility towards authoritarian leadership. BBC Sounds publishes a short interview between three journalists in Iran on what life is like for reporters, amidst censorship and death threats. They report on how they face threats to their families as well as themselves.

Kan Radio reports that 21year old Givati Brigade Sgt. Ido Baruch, 21, will be laid to rest today at 2:00 PM in the military section of the Gedera cemetery. Baruch was killed yesterday in a drive-by shooting near Shavei Shomron. The findings of the preliminary IDF investigation into the incident are that the shooter drove to the site while IDF troops were securing a march to celebrate the Sukkot holiday, opened fire at a military position that was reinforced by concrete and fled the scene in the car.

Army Radio reports that the manhunt for those who committed the attack is still underway. The security establishment is currently focusing its efforts on obtaining intelligence information that might help find the assailants, who belong to the Lion’s Den group. The manhunt for the shooter who committed the attack on Saturday at the Shuafat checkpoint is also ongoing. A decision was made following a situation assessment meeting last night to ratchet up pressure on Nablus, in tandem with the intensification of Palestinian Authority security forces’ efforts in the city.

In Yediot Ahronot, Yossi Yehoshua writes that the IDF yesterday threated to enter Nablus but the Palestinian Authority requested more time to deal with the Lion’s Den group. ‘they are just as much our problem as they are yours’ the PA reportedly said.

Commenting on the Israel-Lebanon maritime deal, Nahum Barnea in Yediot Ahronot writes that the “agreement with Lebanon is good, essential and constructive, but it probably isn’t as good as an agreement that could have been reached by a stable Israeli government. What ought to worry us even more is having the agreement ratified in a hasty, improper, constitutionally dubious and democratically outrageous process.”

Ariel Kahana in Israel Hayom is critical of the agreement. “Israel paid the full price to reach this agreement. The entire triangle that was in contention was turned over to Lebanon, down to the very last inch. That is a precedent that will be studied by all of the regional players, including Hamas in Gaza, which wants to operate a drilling platform off the coast of Ashkelon. In the course of talks that were held in the last decade Israel agreed to compromise on at most 60% of the territory. Former American mediators confirmed that as well. No one ever contemplated the option of a full-scale concession. Lapid and Gantz did. In return for that immense concession, Israel received Lebanese-Hizbullah consent to [recognise] the maritime border between the two countries. That consent has value, but it is limited, since the formal wording of the document talks about the “status quo” as pertains to that borderline, and not the border that is recognized by the United Nations. In other words, the Lebanese have explicitly left themselves an opening to resume the dispute in the future. While it is true they have undertaken not to make any demands to change the line, but the dispute was born precisely as a result of them doing just that—moving the line several times over the course of the years. Let’s suffice to say that stability and credibility aren’t exactly their strong suit.

In Haaretz, Yossi Verter calls out Netanyahu for his response to the agreement. “Frustrated and upset by the fact that it wasn’t he, but the inexperienced Lapid, who ended the multiyear saga of the maritime border with Lebanon, Netanyahu continued to disseminate his false talking points via his spokespeople – ‘a capitulation to Hezbollah,’ ‘a last-minute grab,’ ‘under cover of darkness’ and, referring to the Hezbollah leader, ‘tens of billions of shekels directly to Nasrallah.’ Now the question is whom to believe – the prime minister, defense minister, chief of staff, Mossad director, Shin Bet security service director and a long list of objective security experts who support the agreement? Or Likud MK Galit Distal Atbaryan, for instance, who was interviewed on Tuesday as though she were an expert? One could conduct a random street poll and get equally intelligent insights with a great deal less bombast and obnoxiousness.

Smadar Peri in Yediot Ahronot reflects on statements made two years ago by Claudine Aoun, the president’s daughter, who was tasked with overseeing women’s affairs in the presidential palace. She surprised everyone when she said that she did not consider Israel to be an enemy. She said she had no problem with the option of normalization, and added that her dream was to visit Jerusalem. Her remarks were met with soft condemnations and scorn by top Hezbollah officials, but the members of Claudine’s generation have now also taken out of the mothballs the statement that was made back in the day by Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who offered emergency economic aid to the citizens of Lebanon to help alleviate their terrible distress. Lebanese Parliament Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab, like Prime Minister Lapid, has begun to talk about an “historic agreement” between Lebanon and Israel. Hezbollah leader Nasrallah is keenly aware of what bothers the Lebanese public: the young men and women who have been forced to escape to the Persian Gulf states; the housewives who have been forced to hawk furniture and other household items on the street just to put food on the table; and the men who are out-of-work and are fuming. Lebanon’s impoverished citizens don’t care about Hezbollah public statements, and that is why there has been mounting public sentiment in favour of signing the Abraham Accords with Israel…Now we need to wait patiently to see whether the dream of Lebanon’s younger generation will now come true to sign the Abraham Accords with Israel in the not-too-distant future in Beirut.

In election news, a new poll commissioned by Channel 12 News found no change in the overall balance of power between the two larger political blocs, though some internal shifts were recorded within them. The Likud lost a seat that was picked up by the Religious Zionist Party, whereas the Labour Party gained a seat at the expense of the National Unity Party. The poll also found that a decision by Ayelet Shaked to pull out of the race would have no impact on the outcome of the general election. The Pro-Netanyahu bloc has 59 seats, the current coalition parties have 57 and Hadash-Taal has 4. A poll by Kan has the Pro-Netanyahu bloc at 60, the current coalition parties at 56 and Hadash-Taal at 4.

Israel Hayom reports on divisions within Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu’s inner circle about which strategy to take vis-à-vis Jewish Home Chairwoman Ayelet Shaked, who has been polling below the electoral threshold. MK Yariv Levin, who routinely attends the campaign meetings, along with several other top Likud campaign officials, believes that the Likud should ignore Ayelet Shaked and should refrain from either attacking her or calling on her to withdraw from the race. They argue that those attacks only serve to boost support for her, adding that under the current circumstances she is going to “burn” more left-wing votes than right-wing votes if she remains in the race. According to the report, Sara Netanyahu, who routinely attends the Likud’s campaign meetings, is opposed to ignoring Shaked and has demanded that Shaked be attacked from every possible podium and encouraged to withdraw from the race.

Yediot Ahronot also reports on disagreement within Likud headquarters. Top Likud officials said that the party’s campaign feels disorganised and is short on effective messages. They also cited problems that have plagued the party’s grassroots operation, which they say could be damaging to the party’s chances of winning. Acting on the lessons learned from previous elections, in which a lot of Likud supporters refrained from voting, Netanyahu chose this time to change the emphasis of the current campaign. Instead of focusing on messages that appeal to the broader public and in canvassing efforts, the party would focus more on using digital means to target Likud supporters who had opted out of voting last time in hope of persuading them to cast a ballot for the party on November 1. But Likud branch directors have begun to complain that they lack sufficient funding to do their jobs. Other Likud MKs criticised the limited number of Likud officials who have been tasked with giving media interviews.

The Israeli media also cover Maccabi Haifa’s victory against Juventus in the Champions League last night. Two goals from Omer Atzili give Israeli title-holder a famous victory at the Sammy Ofer Stadium. It was Haifa’s first win in the Champions League for two decades.