Palestinian meetings with London mayor off after boycott comment

London Mayor Boris Johnson's visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories hit a hitch Wednesday as he was called off meetings with Palestinians after offending supporters of a boycott of the Jewish state.

The mayor earlier this week dismissed those who support the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign, known by its BDS initials, as "corduroy-jacketed lefty academics", comments which caused anger on Palestinian social media.

A number of Palestinian groups then refused to meet him while he was also informed his comments had led to additional security risks if he were to visit the West Bank, Johnson's office said.

His meeting with Palestinian prime minister Rami Hamdallah, however, went ahead as planned.

Inas Abu Shirbi of the Sharek Youth Forum, an organisation Johnson was due to visit, told LBC Radio in the UK they withdrew the invitation as his statement showed "he did not recognise the existence of Palestinians".

Johnson, who is on a week-long trade tour, said the comments were taken "out of context".

"The mayor is disappointed that comments he made opposing calls for a boycott of Israel have been taken out of context on social media, and then cited by organisers of events he was due to attend in Ramallah as a reason for cancellation," a statement from his office said.

"He was looking forward to hearing first hand from Palestinians and discussing their relationship with London."

Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, said the failure to visit Palestinian communities would mean he would not have the chance to learn about the effects of Israel's occupation.

"I think it is deeply unfortunate where it has come to a situation where he is not able to visit Palestinians in the West Bank apart from the prime minister," he told AFP.

"He would have had a chance to visit young Palestinians living under occupation."

The mayor, who is also a Conversative MP, has often found himself in controversial or embarrassing circumstances.

During a visit to Tokyo last month, he flattened a 10-year-old rugby fan while showing off his ball "skills" to a group of schoolchildren.

He is due to step down as mayor next summer after eight years and is seen as a potential candidate to become leader of Britain's Conservative party after Prime Minister David Cameron steps down.
Source: AFP