An association representing hundreds of African-American churches in Missouri has condemned the Black Lives Matter campaign for labelling Israel an apartheid state.

Bishop Lawrence Wooten, president of the St Louis chapter of the Ecumenical Leadership Council of Missouri, said that while Black Lives Matter plays a "vital role" in addressing police racism, its language on Israel was wrong.

He rejected "without hesitation" the idea that Israel was apartheid country, and said that he respected "our Jewish brethren". He added: "Jewish-Americans have worked with African-Americans during the civil rights era when others refused us service at the counter - and worse."