Priti Patel: Who did the International Development Secretary meet while on 'holiday' in Israel?

The International Development Secretary claims she was on a family break - but held a staggering 12 meetings in just 13 days

One of Priti Patel's meetings was with Benjamin Netanyahu - but Theresa May was kept in the dark (AFP/Getty Images)

Priti Patel is fighting for her political life, after the extraordinary revelation that she held 12 secret meetings – including with Benjamin Netanyahu – behind Theresa May’s back.

The International Development Secretary claims she was on a family holiday in Israel, but faces accusations that she broke the ministerial code by combining it with official business.

The Prime Minister rebuked her, but declined to dismiss her because no “damage” was done, a display of weakness proving she is “in office but not in power”, critics say.

A potential future Tory leader, she is suspected of trying to win favour with wealthy pro-Israeli party donors, having been accompanied by the president of the powerful Conservative Friends of Israel group.

So who exactly did Ms Patel meet on her 13-day August “holiday” – and what explanation has she given?

* Benjamin Netanyahu - the controversial Israeli prime minister, who heads an ultra right-wing Coalition seen, by Palestinians and many others, as a key obstacle to a Middle East peace deal.

Incredibly, Ms May did not know about the get-together when she hosted Mr Netanyahu at a London dinner last week.

Ms Patel said their talks touched on her own “thriving Jewish community”, as well as “the Israeli domestic political scene” and his “forthcoming visit to the UK”.

They also discussed “prospects for closer collaboration between Israel and the UK on development and humanitarian issues”.

* Yuval Rotem – a diplomat who is the director general of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the International Development Secretary, the pair discussed “British politics, Israel’s approach to development and humanitarian issues, and prospects for partnership work between Israel and the UK on development and humanitarian issues”.

* Gilad Erdan – the minister for public security, information and strategic affairs

Again, we have been told they talked about British politics, as well as “growing anti-Semitism within the British political scene, and a cultural festival in London”.

* Yair Lapid – the leader of Yesh Atid, one of Israel’s major parties, which has refused to support Mr Netanyahu.

Mr Lapid himself revealed the meeting after he tweeted a photo of it and described Ms Patel as a “true friend of Israel”.

They also discussed “growing anti-Semitism within UK politics”, the Cabinet minister said.

* The Israel Forum for International Humanitarian Aid (IsraAID) – a disaster relief charity.

* Dr Aliza Inbal – director of the Pears Programme for Global Innovation, an organisation working towards “technology-based, financially sustainable” solutions to poverty.

* A dinner organised by the Pears Programme – with Innovation Africa (an Israeli non-profit group), Milken Institute (a US think-tank), Energiya Global Capital (a renewable energy company) and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

* Haim Taib – the president of the Mitrelli Group, a group of companies involved in infrastructure projects in “emerging markets”.

* A visit to Save a Child’s Heart – a hospital where Ms Patel met children and their families from Gaza and Africa who received life-saving heart surgery.

* Dr Hirschfeld, Shimon Hefetz – of the Galilee International Management Institute, a management training institution.

* A meeting with a “group of start-ups with a focus on Africa” – including Vital Capital, MobileODT, Equatel Health, Cassit Orthopedics, Ltd, NUFiltration Ltd and Fair Planet.

Ms Patel was given a “demonstration of new technologies for development”, including mobile cancer screening, water filtration, splints and supports for people with disabilities.

* Jean Judes and Pablo Kaplan – of Beit Issie Shapiro and Wheelchairs of Hope, respectively, charities for disabled children.

Labour has also accused Ms Patel of “misleading the British public”, because she admitted the Foreign Office was “not informed” about the meetings – three days after claiming Boris Johnson had been told.

There was fresh anger when she failed to turn up to answer questions from MPs about the meetings, because she was “in the air”, en route to Africa.