The Justin Bieber-Benjamin Netanyahu "summit" has become the latest to fall foul of PR and spin.

The teenage singer, in Israel for the first time to perform in Tel Aviv on Thursday, was understood to have asked for a meeting with Israel's Prime Minister.

However, after the star refused to meet a group of children from communities in southern Israel affected by the barrage of rockets sent by terrorists across the Gaza border, Mr Netanyahu said the meeting would not go ahead.

According to Israel's Ynet, a spokesman for the singer said: "We received a request from the Prime Minister's Office to meet Justin Bieber, and immediately afterwards the reports said that Bieber had asked to meet the prime minister.

"The meeting was cancelled today after we decided that there would be no political meetings."

Justin, who yesterday lashed out at the paparazzi for following him into a church, wrote on Twitter: "I want to see this country and all the places I've dreamed of and whether its the paps or being pulled into politics its been frustrating."

But Mr Netan ya hu's office said: "We received a request from Bieber to meet the prime minister. Netanyahu asked to have children from the south attend the meeting in order to encourage them and create a PR effect.

"The prime minister does not see this as a political issue."