Rabbis are planning to protest a speech by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a conference organised by a leading pro-Israel lobby.

Mr Trump, his party’s frontrunner in the race for the nomination, will give a speech to around 18,000 attendees at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s annual conference in Washington DC.

But around 40 mostly progressive rabbis have pledged to boycott the billionaire businessman’s address at the event this weekend.

Florida senior rabbi Jeffrey Salkin, who helped to organise the protest, told the Washington Post that Mr Trump’s campaign rhetoric was worrying. “Jewish history teaches that when hatred is unleashed, it takes on a life of its own,” he said.

He added that the protest would allow those who were “both nauseated and terrified” by the presidential candidate to display their opposition.

During his campaign, Mr Trump has said he intends to be “neutral” during Israel-Palestinian peace talks, as well as promising to deport all 11 million illegal immigrants and stop Muslims from entering the US.