A man who was believed to have sold the Twitter username @Israel for a six-figure sum did not receive that amount, according to the Israeli government.

Israel Meléndez, a Spaniard who runs an adult entertainment website in Miami, had boasted of high earnings from the sale of the account last month to the Israeli foreign ministry.

But an MFA spokesman told The Jerusalem Post that although Mr Meléndez asked for a six-figure-sum he was only paid $3,000 (£1,900).

Mr Meléndez joined Twitter in 2007 but stopped using the @Israel name after being sent abusive messages.