Theresa May to confront Benjamin Netanyahu about Israeli settlements, Number 10 claims

Leader of Jewish State due to visit London on Monday

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem 29 January, 2017 (Reuters)

Theresa May will raise the issue of Israeli settlement building in the West Bank when she holds bilateral talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in London next week.

A Downing Street spokesperson confirmed Mr Netanyahu would hold a working lunch with Ms May in Downing Street on Monday, where the two leaders will discuss trade opportunities between the two nations.

But the spokesperson said the Prime Minister would restate Britain's concern that settlement building in the West Bank is undermining trust in the Middle East peace process.

The meeting will be the first time the pair have met, though they speak on the telephone in August, shortly after Ms May became Prime Minister.

More than half a million Jewish Israelis are estimated to live on settlements built in the Palestinian territories.