Foreign Secretary confirms Advertising Standards Authority asked to probe Edgware Israeli real estate event
Yvette Cooper is pressed on Sunday's event at Edgware United Synagogue in the Commons
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed that the government has asked the Advertising Standards Authority to “urgently” investigate whether an Israeli real estate event held in London on Sunday was involved in advertising or promoting property in illegal West Bank settlements.
When pressed about government action regarding claims that the Great Israeli Real Estate event at Edgware United Synagogue marketed properties in illegal settlements on British territory, Cooper told the House of Commons: “We have been very clear that no businesses should be engaging in trade or marketing related to the illegal settlements.
“They certainly should not be doing so on UK soil. That is why my colleague, the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, along with the Department for Culture, has raised this directly with the Advertising Standards Agency.
“We take this extremely seriously.
“We have asked them to urgently investigate and reassure us that, if there is any evidence of advertising or promoting property in illegal settlements at this or any other events, they will uphold all relevant laws, regulations, and guidance.
“It is extremely important that these standards are met in the UK, which is precisely why we have raised this matter so seriously with the Advertising Standards Agency.”
Pro-Palestine groups, including Amnesty International and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, were joined by over 100 MPs who signed a letter calling for last Sunday’s event to be postponed.
Jewish News also raised these allegations with the event organisers, My Home In Israel.
They told Jewish News, “All exhibitors, without exception, will provide information only about properties and projects within the Green Line.
“We believe these unfounded allegations are motivated by anti-Israeli and terrorist supporters, seeking only excuses to attack Jews in general and the State of Israel in particular.”
But evidence has appeared to emerge that brochures advertising properties in the West Bank, including illegal Israeli settlements, were distributed at the Great Israeli Real Estate Event on Sunday.
Both Sky News and Jewish Anti-Zionist Action reported that marketing materials handed out at the event—held at Edgware United Synagogue—promoted properties in Ma’ale Adumim and Givat Ze’ev in the West Bank, as well as Ramat Eshkol and Givat HaMatos in East Jerusalem.
Cooper also suggested the UK may impose tougher sanctions on settlement development.
“We continue to consider what further sanctions may be necessary to address illegal settlements and related activities, including settler violence,” she told MPs. “We are also reviewing whether and where it may be necessary to strengthen our overall sanctions regime.”
During Foreign, Commonwealth and Development questions in the Commons, Cooper also assured MPs about UK funding to the Palestinian Authority.
She said: “Regarding Palestinian Authority reform, we support measures such as free and fair elections, which are crucial.
“We are also providing some direct funding to the Palestinian Authority, including for salaries, and working through Michael Barber to provide expertise to support its modernisation.
“This is a fundamental part of establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.”
Responding to Cooper’s remarks about the real estate event, Kristyan Benedict, Amnesty International UK’s Crisis Response Manager, said: “Referring an event that enables war crimes and crimes against humanity to the Advertising Standards Agency is a ridiculous gimmick that fails to understand the devastation Israeli settlements cause for Palestinians.”
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