ISRAEL’S defence minister, Ehud Barak, met Turkey’s foreign minister yesterday to try to repair ties between the allies that were further strained this week by a diplomatic row in which Israel was forced to apologise for its treatment of the Turkish ambassador.

Israel’s Defence Minister Ehud Barak met Turkey’s foreign minister today to try to repair ties between the allies that were further strained this week by a diplomatic row in which Israel was forced to apologise for its treatment of the Turkish ambassador.

Israel’s deputy foreign minister has signalled he regretted humiliating Turkey’s ambassador.

The United States today offered Israel an unprecedented $30 (€22bn) military aid package, bolstering its closest Mideast ally.

The Israeli military has rehearsed expelling Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, it was reported today.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon may end Yasser Arafat’s isolation in his besieged West Bank headquarters and let the Palestinian leader return to Gaza.

A suicide bomber killed at least 19 people and injured more than 120 when he burst into a hotel dining room and blew himself up as Israelis dressed in their holiday best were sitting down to a meal celebrating the Jewish Passover.

A Palestinian cabinet minister has called on the United States to give its full support to a new Middle East peace initiative drawn up by the Saudi Arabian authorities.