Film director Ken Loach has called for Britons to give "unremitting support to the Palestinian struggle".

Speaking at a special screening of his 2006 film The Wind That Shakes The Barley, in aid of Palestinian charity Camden Abu Dis on Monday night, he called for a total boycott of Israel.

He said: "Please, I beg you, support the sanctions. The contempt for international law that Israel is showing is not acceptable.

"The politicians won't do anything about it. It's now for civil society to take action by boycotting Israeli goods and academics."

Nandita Dowson, co-ordinator of Camden Abu Dis, said it was desperately in need of funds. "We are drowning in debt,"she said.