Boris Johnson arrives in Israel for politically-sensitive visit which will see him meet anti-settlement campaigners as well as holding talks with Benjamin Netanyahu

BORIS Johnson visited Israel and the Palestinian territories today for talks with leaders from both sides of the fragmented debate.

The Foreign Secretary was due to meet both Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem in his first working visit since taking over the top job.

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He met Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, earlier in the day and was also to hold talks with Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki.

Mr Johnson is also set to meet anti-settlement NGO Peace Now.

Donald Trump's election has stirred up tensions in the region - with the new US President expressing ambivalence about the creation of a Palestinian state - and offered only soft criticism of Israeli settlements.

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The Government has officially said it remains committed to a two-state solution and has criticised Israeli settlement buildings in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli PM Netanyahu met May in London in February, saying at the time that all "responsible nations" should back new sanctions against Israel's arch-foe Iran.

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The visit comes after a disastrous trade mission when Mr Johnson was London Mayor - when he branded calls for a boycott against Israel as "completely crazy" and said only a few snaggle-toothed "lefty academics" pursued the cause.

The pro-Israel comments led to a series of meetings planned with Palestinians groups being axed - and he was told that there were additional security risks now if he wanted to visit the West Bank.

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Earlier this week Mr Johnson landed himself in hot water after he accused Russia of organising coups in the Western Balkans in an extraordinary blast at the Kremlin.

The Foreign Secretary said Russian was “up to all sorts of no good” just days after accepting an invite to Moscow.

And he drew references to “what happened in Montenegro” when slamming Russia for “undermining countries” in the Western Balkans.