David Cameron has harshly criticised the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The Prime Minister, speaking during a visit to Turkey, said: "Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp."

Last month Israel substantially relaxed restrictions on what could be brought into the area.

Prime Minister David Cameron has described the events in Gaza this week as “completely unacceptable” but stressed that he remains a “friend of Israel”.

He made the comments in his first session of Prime Minister’s Questions in response to a question from Harriet Harman.

The acting Labour Party leader had asked the Prime Minister what was the status of the British nationals who had been caught up in the Gaza flotilla operation.

She added: “I’m sure he agrees this is a tragic loss of life which has angered Palestinians and dismayed friends of Israel too.

Film director Ken Loach, Lib Dem peer Jenny Tonge, comedian Jeremy Hardy and Sir Gerald Kaufman MP are signatories to a petition which will be delivered to Downing St as part of an anti-Israel march this weekend.

It will be the first organised rally outside Downing Street since David Cameron became Prime Minister.

Representatives of the Green Party, UNITE, UNISON, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition and CND are also planning to attend.

Our run-down on how the new cabinet feel on key Jewish issues, including Israel, universal jurisdiction, faith schools and Islamic extremism.

David Cameron
Prime Minister, Conservatives

David Cameron talked warmly of finding his Jewish roots and said he had spoken about them to one of Britain’s leading rabbinical authorities.

Last July, Yaakov Wise of Manchester University’s Centre for Jewish Studies traced Mr Cameron’s family tree to 16th-century Jewish scholar Elijah Levit.

Two Jewish candidates from rather different sides of the political spectrum are attempting to overturn David Cameron's 14,000 majority.

Self-styled "comedy terrorist" Aaron Barschak - best-known for gate-crashing Prince William's 21st birthday party while dressed as Osama bin Laden - is hoping to become MP for Witney, the Oxford constituency held by the Tory leader.

Fellow candidate Joe Goldberg is less controversial. He is a Labour councillor in Haringey, north London.

David Cameron was the first to respond to Reform Judaism head Rabbi Tony Bayfield’s request for the three party leaders to address the community.

Telling Rabbi Bayfield that he had “many friends on the mailing list” of the newsletter where his response was published, Mr Cameron joked that “this might be the last they hear from me for a few weeks!”

Mr Cameron, who launched the Conservative manifesto at Battersea Power Station in London today, spoke of his delight when he learnt about his Jewish ancestors, the Levitas.