Eric Pickles to plant trees in his honour during Jerusalem trip

Sir Eric Pickles will plant trees in a new garden in Jerusalem in his honour during a delegation featuring four former cabinet ministers this week.

The garden, a gift from Conservative Friends of Israel marking his knighthood, is be part of the Lord Sacks Forest.

Delegates on the CFI visit also include the former education, work and pensions and Northern Ireland secretaries Nicky Morgan, Stephen Crabb and Theresa Villiers.

The itinerary includes meetings with representatives of the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority, as well as briefings with the Israel Defence Forces and British Ambassador David Quarrey.

The group will visit Save a Child’s Heart in Holon, an Israeli NGO that provides life-saving heart surgery for children from the Palestinian Territories and developing countries across the world.

They will also meet hi-tech innovators, just days after Theresa May and Benjamin Netanyahu announced a new working group to lay the groundwork for a post-Brexit trade deal.

CFI Executive Director James Gurd said: “Sir Eric’s commitment to fighting anti-Semitism and promoting the strong relationship between Israel and the UK has been a constant throughout his political life. The tree planting ceremony in Jerusalem to honour Sir Eric’s much deserved knighthood will be a fitting way to celebrate such a steadfast friend of Israel and the Jewish community”.