Boris Johnson has said he does not regret calling British supporters of the Israel boycott “corduroy-jacketed, snaggle-toothed, lefty academics” after three Palestinian groups barred him from attending their events today.

The Mayor of London had been due to meet teenagers at a youth charity, female business leaders and construction companies in the West Bank but was informed he was unwelcome just hours before the engagements.

Aides said the Palestinian Authority also raised security concerns and the possibility of protests if he went ahead with the visits in Ramallah.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson prays at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, on November 11, 2015 in Jerusalem's Old City, Israel. (Getty Images)

But Mr Johnson did have a “positive” meeting with Rami Hamdallah, the Palestinian Prime Minister, where they discussed his support for a two-state solution.

Speaking after the talks, he said he did not regret his previous comments but claimed people had used them to make others “a bit anxious about the security implications”.

“I think on the boycott it was very striking just now that the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority himself said very clearly and several times that he was opposed to a boycott of Israel,” Mr Johnson told reporters.

”That is the right position. It's a shame that some elements have been whipping up social media so that there seems to be some security issue.“

The Conservative MP denied that a throwaway remark had damaged his tour of Israel and the Palestinian territories, adding: ”On the contrary, what you've got is a simple repetition of what is not only British Government policy but also policy that is supported by the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority.“

Mayor of London Boris Johnson wears virtual reality goggles during a visit to the Google offices in Tel Aviv on Monday (AP)

Speaking in Tel Aviv, Mr Johnson said a "completely crazy" trade boycott against Israel lacked support and used a lecture to hit out at those supporting it, praising the country's “pluralist, open society”.

The Sharek Youth Forum said it withdrew its invitation to Mr Johnson over his “inaccurate, misinformed, and disrespectful statement”, saying his stance “fails to acknowledge our very existence as Palestinians”.

Shortly afterwards, the Palestinian Association of Engineers announced it and allied trade unions had “refused categorically” to let the MP make his scheduled appearance at its affordable housing workshop because of his remarks.

Representatives from Mr Johnson’s team still attended the housing event and a meeting with the Palestine Business Women’s Forum in Ramallah, which also withdrew his invitation over the boycott remarks.

It came a day after the city's governor, Leila Ghannam, cancelled her meeting with Mr Johnson on Tuesday, citing “personal reasons” for clearing her diary.

The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Show all 10 1 /10 The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Medics evacuate a wounded man from the scene of an attack in Jerusalem. A Palestinian rammed a vehicle into a bus stop then got out and started stabbing people before he was shot dead AP The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Israeli ZAKA emergency response members carry the body of an Israeli at the scene of a shooting attack in Jerusalem. A pair of Palestinian men boarded a bus in Jerusalem and began shooting and stabbing passengers, while another assailant rammed a car into a bus station before stabbing bystanders, in near-simultaneous attacks that escalated a month long wave of violence AP The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Youths attend the funeral of Ahmad Sharake who was shot during clashes with Israeli forces in Jelazun refugee camp, near Ramallah, West Bank. Tensions in the area continue to run high following a series of stabbing attacks that have occurred around Israel in clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli security forces Getty Images The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians throw molotov cocktail during clashes with Israeli troops near Ramallah, West Bank. Recent days have seen a series of stabbing attacks in Israel and the West Bank that have wounded several Israelis AP The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Women cry during the funeral of Palestinian teenager Ahmad Sharaka, 13, who was shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes at a checkpoint near Ramallah, at the family house in the Palestinian West Bank refugee camp of Jalazoun, Ramallah AP The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies A wounded Palestinian boy and his father hold hands at a hospital after their house was brought down by an Israeli air strike in Gaza Reuters The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians look on after a protester is shot by Israelis soldiers during clashes at the Howara checkpoint near the West Bank city of Nablus EPA The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies A lawyer wearing his official robes kicks a tear gas canister back toward Israeli soldiers during a demonstration by scores of Palestinian lawyers called for by the Palestinian Bar Association in solidarity with protesters at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, near Ramallah, West Bank AP The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Undercover Israeli soldiers detain a Palestinian in Ramallah Reuters The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Palestinian youth burn tyres during clashes with Israeli soldiers close to the Jewish settlement of Bet El, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, after Israel barred Palestinians from Jerusalem's Old City as tensions mounted following attacks that killed two Israelis and wounded a child

A spokesperson for Mr Johnson told The Independent his comments had been “taken out of context”, adding: “He was looking forward to hearing first-hand from Palestinians and discussing their relationship with London.”

She added that Mr Johnson was following British Government policy by opposing the Israel boycott and had stressed the importance of furthering trade links with both Israel and London and the Occupied Palestinian Territories during his visit.

“He has been clear throughout that he supports a two state solution, and that it is vital Israel and the Palestinians engage in meaningful dialogue in the search for a lasting peace settlement,” the spokesperson continued.

“He recognises the extreme difficulties experienced by the Palestinians living under occupation.”