Foreign Secretary David Miliband has expressed concern over worsening tensions in Jerusalem, and said Britain would press the Israeli government to halt evictions in East Jerusalem.

In a telephone conversation with the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mr Miliband also expressed his anger with Hamas to Prime Minster Salam Fayyad.

The militant group yesterday urged Palestinians to boycott the January elections in Gaza, threatening violence against those who did not.

Mr Miliband said in a statement: “This betrays the Palestinians in Gaza who have suffered so much in the past year.”

During the phone call Mr Miliband discussed the violence in Jerusalem over the past weeks with Mr Fayyad and stressed the need for all sides to work to calm tensions.

Mr Fayyad and Mr Miliband also discussed their concerns over the evictions of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem.

Mr Miliband said that the government would put pressure on the Israelis to “desist from such provocative and illegal actions.”