The Times, Telegraph and i report that Israel’s cabinet yesterday approved legislation to relax laws on the use and possession of marijuana. Under the draft law, those caught in possession of marijuana will face a fine, rather than arrest or a criminal record, unless they repeat the offence four times. The Times notes that around 25,000 Israelis are licensed to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. The report also quotes Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said: “On the one hand, we are open to the future. On the other, we also understand the dangers and we will try to balance between the two.”

The Times, Daily Mail and the online editions of the Guardian and Telegraph report that former Prime Minister Tony Blair met Jared Kushner at the White House last week. Kushner is a senior advisor to US President Donald Trump, and believed to be heavily involved in the Middle East. However, the newspapers report that Blair’s office has denied suggestions he may become Trump’s Middle East envoy.

In the Guardian online, Emma Graham-Harrison reflects on two parallel events in Bethlehem – the opening of a new “protest” hotel by street artist Banksy, and the homecoming for the winner of the popular Arab Idol reality talent show. Graham-Harrison says Palestinians “do not want their fight forgotten, nor do they want to be known only for their troubles”.

The Guardian online says that Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have condemned Jordan’s mass execution of 15 people over the weekend. Ten of those executed were convicted of terror offences.

The Guardian online also reports that Iran’s former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has joined Twitter, “despite having been instrumental in getting it banned in the country” during his time in office.

In the Israeli media, the top item in Maariv, which is also covered prominently in Yediot Ahronot, Haaretz and Israel Radio news, is today’s expected questioning of Prime Minister Netanyahu for a fourth time in connection with two investigations against him. One investigation concerns gifts from prominent businessmen and the other investigation involves taped conversations in which Netanyahu discusses a quid pro quo arrangement with Yediot Ahronot publisher Noni Mozes, where  Netanyahu would support a law limiting a rival publication in return for more favourable coverage.

Maariv reports that a petition has been filed to the High Court requesting the Regulation Law be overturned. The controversial legislation retroactively gives residents the right to live in West Bank homes illegally built on private Palestinian land. Twenty three Palestinian village council chairmen, four land owners, and 13 Israeli civil rights organisations petitioned the court, arguing that the legislation violates the country’s Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty.

Yediot Ahronot claims that military prosecutors will recommend to Judge Advocate General Brig. Gen. Sharon Afek that he appeal the light sentence given to soldier Elor Azaria and pursue a tougher custodial punishment. Azaria was handed an 18-month prison sentence after he shot dead an incapacitated Palestinian assailant in Hebron last year. The article emphasises that whilst there is no official confirmation of such an appeal, the fact Azaria has expressed no regret over the incident, and that his lawyers have pledged to appeal his conviction, are factors in the potential recommendation .

Israel Radio news says that the local council in the Arab village of Jat has agreed to remove a new sign naming a street after former Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat. Israel’s Interior Minister, Aryeh Deri, asked for the sign to be removed within 48 hours.

Army Radio this morning discusses a weekend exclusive by Haaretz’s Barak Ravid, in which he published details of an apparent agreement by Prime Minister Netanyahu to form a national unity government in order to promote a regional peace initiative. Ravid says that Netanyahu sent opposition leader Isaac Herzog an outline of a declaration in favour of a two-state solution, a regional initiative and direct talks with the Palestinians, but the crisis over looming eviction of the West Bank outpost of Amona put an end to unity government talks in October.