Real estate event in London ‘advertised sale of land in illegal Israeli settlements’

Israeli settlers raise the Israeli flag during an inauguration ceremony for a new settlement on Mount Tarousa in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday. Photograph: Hazem Bader/AFP/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Israeli settlers raise the Israeli flag during an inauguration ceremony for a new settlement on Mount Tarousa in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday. Photograph: Hazem Bader/AFP/Getty Images Real estate event in London ‘advertised sale of land in illegal Israeli settlements’ Pamphlets from event featured projects in West Bank and East Jerusalem despite previous denials by organisers An Israeli real estate event in north London appears to have advertised the sale of land in Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, despite previous denials that illegal settlement properties would be marketed at the event. Pamphlets shared with the Guardian from the event on Sunday showed real estate projects in Ma’ale Adumim, Givat Ze’ev, Kfar Eldad and Teneh Omarim in the occupied West Bank , as well as Ramat Eshkol and Givat Hamatos in East Jerusalem. The event was held after more than 100 UK lawmakers as well as civil society organisations had called for its cancellation, saying it was inconsistent with the government’s obligations under international law as well as guidance on settlement-related economic activity. View image in fullscreen Pamphlets advertising the Great Real Estate Event in London. Photograph: Jewish Anti-Zionist Action “There is a prima facie case at the very least that people were advertising land in illegal settlements and that is contrary to law, and the government needs to act,” said Andy McDonald MP, co-chair of the British-Palestine all-party parliamentary group. Last week, McDonald wrote a letter to the foreign secretary signed by 101 politicians saying that the event was “embedded in Israel’s project of colonial expansion” and calling on the government to stop it from going ahead. Concerns were also raised beforehand by the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, who spoke to the Metropolitan police and said he was informed that any allegations of criminality over the unlawful sale of property at the event would be assessed with a view to investigation. The Met declined to comment. The London event was the final stop in a series of international roadshows – after Toronto and New York – which had appeared to advertise the sale of land in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, and invited individuals to “explore the best Anglo neighbourhoods” and find their “dream home”. View image in fullscreen A real estate project in the West Bank Israeli settlement of Givat Ze’ev, pictured in 2023, was among those that featured in event pamphlets. Photograph: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP The event had invited people to register their interest in Gush Etzion , an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, which the UK government considers an illegal settlement. Organisers had previously denied claims that the event would feature la