A philanthropist has published a handbook of information for Israel advocates in an attempt to improve the British public’s view of the country.

Joshua Rowe, chairman of governors at Manchester’s King David School, has collated the 13-page document and plans to give it away free to school pupils and students who want to learn more about Israel.

Your guide to Israel advocacy: History of the Arab-Israeli conflict charts the development of Israel from biblical times to the modern day.

It includes details of the 1897 First Zionist Congress, Arab opposition to the creation of Israel, and a look at the Middle East peace process.

Mr Rowe said: “Israel and Jewish studies are the two closest things to my heart. I originally wrote this as a school play at King David and we performed it at Bridgewater Hall around seven years ago.

“Israel does not do a good job of explaining itself. We are desperately trying to do something that the government of Israel should be doing. There’s a massive void. Israel is a beautiful story, it’s just not well told.

“I do sessions with the sixth-form pupils at King David every Friday — we have a hasbara club. The more information we can get out the better.”

Mr Rowe said he would fund copies of the booklet to be handed out by the Union of Jewish Students and Jewish youth movements.

Your guide to Israel advocacy: History of the Arab-Israeli conflict can be downloaded from the JC website here.