David Cameron, leader of Britain's opposition Conservative Party, harkened back to an earlier period of his nation's history on Tuesday when he publicly labeled himself “a Zionist.”

Support for Israel is “in the DNA” of members of Britain's Conservative Party, Ha'aretz quoted Cameron as telling a gathering of the Conservative Friends of Israel group in London.

“If by Zionist you mean that the Jews have the right to a homeland in Israel and the right to a country, then I am a Zionist,” the Tory leader stated.

Cameron blasted a group of British academics who last week voted in favor of boycotting relations with their Israeli counterparts in protest over what they termed “Israeli aggression” against the Palestinians.

He also voiced support for Israel's right to build a security fence aimed at keeping Palestinian terrorists living in Judea and Samaria away from Israel's main population centers.