Labour’s new Shadow Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East has come under fire for claiming Palestinians face discrimination in Israel.

Bambos Charalambous, who was appointed to the role in December, issued a statement on the Amnesty report but failed to join widespread criticism of its perceived bias against Israel.

Instead he called for an end to “the injustices at the heart of this conflict” and talked about the “extensive discrimination faced by Palestinians especially in the West Bank and Gaza”.

Former Labour Minister Lord Ian Austin, Britain’s Trade Envoy to Israel, said: “It is completely untrue for the Labour spokesman to accuse Israel of discrimination in its treatment of Israeli citizens, all of whom are treated equally when it comes to elections, the legal system, public services, the education system, the police and military.

"All of those were separated according to the colour of people’s skin under apartheid.”

Theresa Villiers, co-chairwoman of Conservative Friends of Israel, said: “It is disturbing that Labour’s Shadow Minister on the Middle East is suggesting that Palestinians face ‘extensive discrimination’ in Israel.

"This is not true and I hope he will think again about his statement. Israeli Arab citizens are given equal rights and are even part of the governing coalition.”