The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine continues to dominate the front pages of UK newspapers. US President Joe Biden has urged Israel to avoid a repeat of the mistakes made by the US after the 9/11 terror attacks. The Financial Times reports that during his visit to Israel, Biden called on the Israeli government to allow emergency aid to be delivered to Gaza. He also attributed the misfired rocket by Palestinian militants as the cause of the blast at a Gaza hospital. The Guardian also carried comments from President Biden during his visit to Israel. He acknowledged that the US both “sought and got justice” for the 9/11 attacks, but also made mistakes.
The Times reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has received private backing from Biden to press ahead with a ground invasion of Gaza. The paper suggests that Biden did urge a certain degree of caution but fully supported a ground invasion of Gaza. Furthermore, the SAS is preparing to assist Israel’s elite forces in any rescue attempt of nine British civilians being held by Hamas in Gaza.
The severity of the situation in Gaza is also depicted on the front cover of the Daily Mirror, which displays a shocking photograph of a young boy injured in the Gaza hospital explosion. The article also carries Joe Biden’s warning to Israel not to repeat America’s mistakes after 9/11. Meanwhile, the Sun says that Biden has “cleared Israel of blame” over the Gaza hospital blast.
Away from the conflict, the i newspaper leads with the news that the Bank of England’s base rate looks set to stay at 5.25%. The paper reports that such a rate would be a welcome reprieve for homeowners. Meanwhile, the National Theatre in London is experimenting with earlier start times to enable its audiences to have more time for post-show discussions, dinner and drinks without having to rush to catch a train.
The reaction of Arab leaders to Biden’s visit is examined by Guardian columnist Martin Kettle, who suggests that it is a sign of declining US power. Meanwhile, the Guardian’s editorial draws attention to the fact that, with the conflict in Ukraine also ongoing, Russia is keen to keep the US’s attention on the Middle East. It argues that Russia may also seek to capitalise on the apparent disparity between attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and Gaza. Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, has criticised the BBC for its “atrocious” refusing to brand Hamas terrorists in interviews about the conflict.
Inflation remains stubbornly high, maintaining pressure on the Bank of England to hold firm as it tries to curb price rises. Meanwhile, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict shows no signs of abating, and much of the UK press continues to report daily updates from the region
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