The former Israeli Ambassador to the UK has said a two-state solution will remain an “illusion” that will “never be implemented” unless a Palestinian state that is a “peaceful, democratic and wants to live with Israel side by side” emerges.

In comments made during an interview with the BBC Radio 4 presenter Nick Robinson for his Political Thinking  show, Mark Regev said: “Any peace has to be based on reality.

“You can have a two-state illusion. It might look nice on paper, but it will never be implemented.”

Mr Regev, who returned to Israel after a four year stint in the UK last month,  said the “real solution” to the ongoing crisis “has to take into account the realities on the ground and first and foremost, you have to build peace on security because we know that peace that can’t be defended won’t endure, it can’t survive”.

He added that any future Palestinian state which looked like “just another failed Middle Eastern state… like Iraq or Syria or Yemen or Libya” would not be good for anyone.

Mr Regev said: “How is that good for peace? How is that good for Israel? More importantly, how is that going to be good for the Palestinians?”

Refusing to dismiss the prospect of a Palestinian state entirely, he said: “When people say a Palestinian state is the solution, I think it’s important to put a number of qualifications: is a Palestinian state that is peaceful, democratic and one that wants to live with Israel side by side, or is it going to be a superior platform to continue the struggle against Israel? These questions have to be asked.”

In the interview aired on Saturday, Mr Regev also spoke about the controversial appointment of  Tzipi Hotovely as new UK ambassador.

Known for her hard-right  Zionist views, Mr Regev said: “She’s a politician, when she becomes the Israeli Ambassador she will cease being a politician and will become a civil servant and part of Israel’s diplomatic corps”.