More than 100 UK lawmakers have urged the government to cancel an Israeli real estate event scheduled for Sunday in London, which reportedly promotes the sale of land in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Lawmakers' Letter to Foreign Secretary
In a letter to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Friday, 101 MPs and members of the House of Lords warned that the event is "firmly embedded in Israel's project of colonial expansion by facilitating the sale of land that has been stolen from Palestinians." They called on the government to take "all necessary steps" to prevent the event from proceeding.
"Allowing the event to proceed would not only be inconsistent with current UK government guidance on settlement-related economic activity, it would stand in opposition to the government's obligations under international law," the letter stated.
Signatories include Labour MPs Andy McDonald and Debbie Abrahams, co-chairs of the British-Palestine all-party parliamentary group. Concerns were also raised by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who discussed the event with the Metropolitan Police.
International Context and Sanctions
Earlier this week, the UK and other Western powers announced sanctions on six firms and one individual for enabling and financing increased settler violence in the West Bank. However, they stopped short of banning trade with illegal Israeli settlements, a step that over 140 Labour MPs had called for.
Organisations including Amnesty International UK, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and the Muslim Association of Britain also demanded the event's cancellation.
Event Details and Controversy
The London event is the final stop of an international roadshow that advertised land in Israeli settlements, inviting people to "explore the best Anglo neighbourhoods" and find their "dream home." It previously took place in Toronto and six locations in New York.
The event originally promoted Gush Etzion, an Israeli settlement the UK considers illegal. Organisers denied claims of selling West Bank land, calling them "ridiculous" and "motivated by anti-Israeli and terrorist supporters." A spokesperson told Jewish News that all exhibitors would provide information about properties within the Green Line.
The event's website for 2025, which mentioned Gush Etzion, has been taken down, and the 2026 event page removed the reference after public outcry. The event is private, invitation-only, and free, offering consultants on insurance, tax, mortgages, and fund transfers. It includes a map of the territory without delineation of Gaza, the occupied West Bank, or Syria's Golan Heights.
Rising Settler Violence
The event occurs amid unprecedented levels of settler violence in the West Bank. A coalition of Western countries, including the UK, France, Canada, Germany, and Italy, have called for an end to settlement construction, which they say breaches international law.
Kristyan Benedict, crisis response manager at Amnesty International, said: "Given the significant escalation in annexation measures under Israel's current government and the rise in state-backed settler violence, it is unthinkable that the UK government could allow an event that openly promotes settlement expansion." He added, "This isn't a property fair. It's apartheid and annexation with a sales pitch."
Civil Society Campaigns
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign launched a petition urging Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to prevent the event and bring charges against those enabling the sale of stolen Palestinian land. The Palestinian Youth Movement also launched a campaign with over 100 civil society organisations, including the Muslim Association of Britain and Jewish grassroots group Na'amod, calling for the event's cancellation.
Government Response
A government spokesperson said: "Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and harm prospects for a two-state solution. The Israeli government must clamp down on settler violence and end settlement expansion."
In October 2024, the UK sanctioned seven organisations supporting illegal settlers, and in June 2025, placed sanctions on Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence against Palestinians. The spokesperson added: "Expansion in the West Bank is wrong. We will bring forward updated guidance in the coming days, giving greater clarity to UK businesses on avoiding ventures that support these illegal settlements."
