The government has asked the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) to “look into” allegations that a real estate event at an Edgware synagogue on Sunday saw firms illegally offering prospective buyers properties in West Bank settlements.
Police confirmed that 14 people were arrested at protests outside the synagogue during the sale on Sunday, though all were subsequently bailed.
The event’s organisers had previously insisted that no land beyond the Green Line – Israel’s pre-1967 borders, which do not include the West Bank and Gaza – would be sold.
The British government’s position is that Israeli settlements in the West Bank and, therefore, the sale of properties within them constitute a breach of international law.
However, Sky News released a report after the event presenting evidence which appeared to show that at least one merchant at the event promoted property sales in settlements, including Ma’ale Adumim and Givat Zeev.
On Tuesday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs the issue has been raised with the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA), which was asked to “urgently look into this”.
She also criticised “settler terrorism” in the West Bank, but stopped short of committing to a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements, despite calls from MPs, including Labour backbenchers.
Green Party Westminster leader Ellie Chowns branded the Government’s sanctions on Israeli illegal settlers announced last week “entirely inadequate”.
Speaking at Foreign Office Questions, she said: “In relation to West Bank settlement activity, the Secretary of State set out piecemeal and entirely inadequate measures last week to address this.
“It was raised to her at that point that the UK would be hosting a Great Israeli Real Estate Event at the weekend.
“She undertook to look into it. That event took place. At that event, properties in illegal settlements were being marketed on British territory.
“The Government has been sent the evidence about this. How is it that this Government fails even to prevent the marketing of illegal property in this country, and still fails to take action?
“The Secretary of State continues to tell us about the meetings that she’s had, but what we want is leadership.
“The UK has a particular responsibility. Will she step up and ban trade with illegal settlements?”
Responding, Cooper said: “We have been very clear that not only should no businesses be engaging in trade or in marketing around the illegal settlements, they certainly should not be doing so on UK soil.
“And that is why my colleague, the minister for the Middle East and North Africa [Hamish Falconer], and also the DCMS [Department for Culture, Media and Sport] have raised this now directly with the Advertising Standards Agency, because we take this so seriously.
“We have asked them now to urgently look into this and to reassure us that, if there is any evidence of the advertising or promotion of property in illegal settlements at this or any other events, they will uphold the law, regulations, and guidance that apply.
“It is extremely important that those standards are met in the UK, and that is exactly why we have raised this so seriously with the Advertising Standards Agency.”
Debbie Abrahams, Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, also said the sale of Palestinian land at the event would be “flouting international law” in London.
Cooper warned businesses “against associating themselves with potential breaches of international law".
She added: “In terms of the operations within London, we will pursue any issue that we can around anything that might be either in breach of the law or might be issues that we can raise.
“I think that there is a moral responsibility on organisations, whether it be on businesses or other organisations, and particularly on charities, where we have additional enforcement powers, not to support illegal settlements that are not only in breach of international law but are also undermining the regional security and peace.”
The JC has contacted the organisers of the Great Israel Real Estate Event for comment.
To get more Politics news, click here to sign up for our free politics newsletter.