A Conservative MP who claimed Israel was "whipping up feeling" against British troops has said he stands by his comments.

Julian Brazier met eight activists, including supporters of Israel and leaders of the British Israel Coalition, in a specially arranged meeting at Parliament.

Among those at the meeting were leaders of the Shomron Liaison Office, which represents Jewish communities in the West Bank, and Palestinian writer and academic Mudar Zahran, who fled to Britain from Jordan.

In Mr Brazier's comments, in a letter to Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, he had suggested Israeli activity in the West Bank was "playing a major role in inciting the anger felt in Pakistan and Afghanistan" and was leading to attacks on British troops.

During Tuesday's meeting with the activists, Mr Brazier repeatedly attacked Israel's security wall in the West Bank.

‘Security wall has an apartheid effect’

"The wall is built to take a substantial amount of Palestinian land away," he said. "I do believe that the effect of the wall is an apartheid effect."

Mr Brazier said he had been right to claim Israeli actions were stoking anger in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He said an unnamed foreign diplomat had informed him of the damage being done when young Muslims saw reports of the situation in the West Bank and were radicalised by what they saw.

The Canterbury and Whitstable MP, who received dozens of letters attacking his comments, also claimed Moshe Dayan was one of his heroes.