Prince William to visit Israel and Palestinian territories

The Duke of Cambridge is to visit Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan in the summer.

His five day trip will begin in Amman, the capital of Jordan, on Sunday 24 June and end in Jerusalem.

He will also visit the Jordanian city of Jerash, Tel Aviv in Israel and the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

It will be the first official tour of Israel or the Palestinian areas by a member of the Royal Family on behalf of the British government.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it would be "an historic visit, the first of its kind".

He said the prince would be welcomed "with great affection".

The Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales have previously visited Jerusalem, but not as part of an official tour.

In 2016, the Prince of Wales went to Jerusalem for the funeral of former Israeli president Shimon Peres.

Prince William's visit comes at a tense time for the region. In May the US inaugurated its first embassy in Jerusalem, despite Israel's sovereignty over Jerusalem not being recognised internationally.

On the same day 60 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces during border protests organised largely by Hamas - a militant Islamist group.