A tahini manufacturer has become the first Palestinian company in history to apply for a kosher food license.

The Nablus-based Alul Company want to be able sell their products, including the sweet halva, to Israeli chains.

The chief rabbinate said they expected to accept the request, as long as issues of supervision, to ensure nothing was made on Shabbat or with non-kosher ingredients, could be resolved.

The company previously had a license in the 1980s, but lost it when control of Nablus went to the Palestinian Authority.

A claim that the Western Wall is not of Jewish significance has been taken off a Palestinian Authority report after its inclusion prompted condemnation from the US and Israel.

The controversial statement, which runs counter to archeological evidence, had been made by Palestinian Authority Deputy Information minister Al-Mutawakil Taha. He said "this wall has never been a part of what is called the Jewish Temple.”

But a Palestinian official said the claim did not reflect their position and so it had been removed from the government’s website.

The Obama administration has rejected the controversial claim by a Palestinian official that there is no Jewish connection to the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Last week Palestinian Authority minister Al-Mutawakil Taha said in a report that "this wall has never been a part of what is called the Jewish Temple.

"It was Islamic tolerance which allowed the Jews to stand before it and cry over its loss."

Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of a land swap with the Palestinians just two weeks after becoming Israel’s prime minister, according to documents released by the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.

A classified cable from February 26 2009 recorded that Mr Netanyahu “expressed support for the concept of land swaps” in exchanges with the newly - elected Obama administration.

The cable continued: “[He] emphasised that he did not want to govern the West Bank and Gaza but rather to stop attacks from being launched from there."

Hillary Clinton has announced that the United Sates will give an additional £93 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority.

The US Secretary of State made the announcement during a joint video conference with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

The money is intended to boost the government there and help the Palestinian Authority reduce its budget deficit.

Mrs Clinton said that a peace settlement was still possible, despite a White House condemnation of plans for further construction in east Jerusalem yesterday.

Hamas’ military wing has claimed responsibility for the murder of four Israeli civilians, including a woman believed to be pregnant.

But American and Israeli officials have urged that Israel and the Palestinians do not let the terror attack derail the direct peace negotiations set to begin in Washington tomorrow.

Hillary Clinton has announced the first direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians in nearly two years.

The US Secretary of State invited Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas to Washington to resume negotiations in order to creat a "just and lasting peace."

Egyptian and Jordanian leaders have also been asked to attend.