Prince William is to make the first official royal visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories in a five-day tour of the Middle East.

The Duke of Cambridge is scheduled to meet both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

He will begin his trip in Jordan on Sunday, meeting Jordanian Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II.

Kensington Palace said the "historic nature" of the tour was "important".

The trip comes as Israel celebrates the 70th anniversary of its foundation, and amid a rise in tensions between Palestinians and Israelis.

Israeli forces launched air strikes on Palestinian militant positions in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday after rockets and mortars were fired into Israel.

During his visit to Israel, the Duke of Cambridge will visit the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre and lay a wreath to commemorate those who died during the Second World War.

He is expected to visit Jerusalem's Old City and the grave of Princess Alice of Greece, his great-grandmother and the Duke of Edinburgh's mother.

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