British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Wednesday he would offer a $500 million aid package to the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza Strip if U.S.-led talks this month make progress towards Middle East peace.

Israel’s parliament gave preliminary approval on Wednesday to legislation that would make it more difficult to give up parts of Jerusalem in any peace deal with the Palestinians.

At least two people were killed and six wounded when a suicide bomber wearing a vest packed with explosives attacked a gathering of Sunni Arab tribal sheikhs south of Baghdad on Wednesday, police sources said.