Israel has accused Britain of going behinds its back and secretly playing a “leading role” in pushing a UN Security Council Resolution that criticised Israeli settlements.

Israeli officials said British diplomats at the UN had played a major part in crafting the resolution so that the US would not feel forced to veto it and in covertly making sure that it reached a vote.

The passage of the resolution has sparked an angry rhetorical and diplomatic campaign by the Israeli government against the 14 countries that supported it and the US for abstaining.

While most of Israel’s public anger since Friday’s vote has been aimed at the Obama administration, Israeli officials have begun venting in private at the British government.