Saudi Arabia’s Prince Turki al-Faisal has suggested Israel is holding Palestinians “in concentration camps under the flimsiest of security accusations.”

In comments aimed at dampening hopes of a peace deal with Israel, Prince Turki, a former head of intelligence, also said his country’s historic enemy was the “last western colonising power in the Middle East.”

Speaking earlier this month the Saudi prince insisted “young and old, women and men” were “rotting without recourse to justice” in camps.

Reports claim the comments were made at a meeting alongside Israeli and Bahraini foreign ministers.

It is claimed that Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Prince Turki’s cousin, is himself in favour of  closer ties with Israel.

The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco have all recognised Israel as a county.

Reports in Israel said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to the Gulf kingdom to meet Mohammed bin Salman last month, but Saudi Arabia denied the claim.