Patel apologises for Netanyahu meeting

International Development Secretary Priti Patel has apologised for taking time out of a family holiday to meet Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other politicians without telling the Foreign Office in advance.

Ms Patel was accompanied to nearly all of her meetings with Israeli ministers, charities and non-governmental organisations by the honorary president of the Conservative Friends of Israel lobbying group, Lord Polak.

She apologised for setting up and reporting the meetings “in a way which did not accord with the usual procedures” and clarified her claim that Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson “knew about the visit”, admitting he did not know 0 Priti Patel met Benjamin Netanyahu during a holiday about it in advance. Ms Patel said: “This summer I travelled to Israel, on a family holiday paid for myself… In hindsight, I can see how my enthusiasm to engage in this way could be misread, and how meetings were set up and reported in a way which did not accord with the usual procedures. I am sorry for this.”