Campaigners criticise apology from property show after illegal Israeli settlements advertised

Campaigners have criticised an apology from the organisers of an Israeli property show in London after illegal settlements were advertised at the event.

Claims in the apology that the settlements were only mistakenly "mentioned" in the event's brochure and not promoted at the show itself are "categorically not true", according to the activist group Jewish Anti-Zionist Action, which attended the event.

Photos exclusively revealed by Sky News on Monday showed marketing materials handed out at the Great Israeli Real Estate event promoting properties in Ma'Ale Adumim, Givat Zeev, Kfar Eldad and Teneh Omarim in the West Bank and Ramat Eshkol, Givat HaMatos and French Hill in East Jerusalem.

These settlements are illegal under international law.

Before the event on Sunday, a spokesperson strongly denied claims that any such properties would be promoted there.

The organisers have not responded to requests for comment from Sky News.

However, in a statement published by Jewish News following our report, a spokesperson for the Great Israeli Real Estate event said: "No one at the event promoted or spoke about properties in the 'disputed territories', such as Givat Zeev or Kfar Eldad.

"Their mention in the event brochure was made in error, for which we apologise."

The images obtained by Sky News include individual leaflets advertising properties in Ma'Ale Adumim, French Hill and Ramat Eshkol, in addition to the other illegal settlements advertised in the event brochure which was handed out to attendees on arrival.

A photograph posted on Instagram by the estate agent Tivuch Shelly at the event also showed staff standing in front of a banner advertising Ramat Eshkol and Givat HaMatos. Another name appears to have been blacked out.

The caption reads: "We all see the direction London is going. Now more than ever, it's important to secure your home in Israel."

'Deplorable'

The marketing materials were collected by members of Jewish Anti-Zionist Action - a UK protest group of pro-Palestinian Jews - who attended the event.

Activist "Isabel" - which is not her real name - told Sky News she picked up a Ma'Ale Adumim leaflet from a booth where it was open on display.

"The organisers said no one was promoting illegal settlements - that's just categorically not true," she said.

"On the Tivuch Shelly stall, they had leaflets on the table advertising Ma'Ale Adumim - that's an illegal settlement in the West Bank. On the big banner behind the stall, they were promoting Givat HaMatos and Ramat Eshkol - those are illegal settlements in East Jerusalem.

"I think its deplorable. Going forward, there needs to be sanctions on these groups. Events like this can never be allowed to happen in London again."

'Probably a set-up'

The owner of Tivuch Shelly, Shelly Levine, told Sky News she had not sold any property in Ma'Ale Adumim at the event.

"I was not selling Ma'Ale Adumim there, because we were told not to," said Ms Levine.

"I put all my brochures away under the desk. I gave one brochure to someone who insisted, but I told him not to open it until he went outside. It was probably a set-up."

But Ms Levine also defended the principle of selling property in these areas.

"Ma'Ale Adumim is not an expansion, it's urban renewal," she added. "It's a 40-year-old city, it's not a new development. It's knocking old buildings down and building new ones for poor people. I don't do expansionist settlements.

"Ramat Eshkol and Givat HaMatos ... these are neighbourhoods of Jerusalem.

"If I had known this was illegal in the UK, I wouldn't have come."

'Pathetic apology'

Labour MP Andy McDonald coordinated a letter signed by more than 100 MPs and Lords asking the government to stop the event from happening last week.

"The pathetic apology and explanations offered [by the organisers] are totally hollow," he said.

"No sensible person is taken in by any of it. If the organisers were so insistent that exhibitors did not market for-sale lands in illegally occupied Palestine - and not the 'disputed territories' as they euphemistically and inaccurately describe - then they totally failed in their management of the event, and there have to be consequences.

"If it really was such an important principle, they would have policed the event to greater effect. What they are saying fools no one.

"It now falls to the UK government to ensure that there is a proper investigation by the relevant and competent law enforcement bodies.

"These were illegal acts and they need to be investigated as such. The current extent of the government's response is to make a referral to the Advertising Standards Authority. That is as laughable as it is wholly inadequate and inappropriate.

"Government must take this seriously. They would have come down heavily on any such event purporting to market illegally occupied territory in the Donbas, and they should do so in this instance."

Foreign secretary responds

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper was asked in the House of Commons on Tuesday by Green MP Dr Ellie Chowns whether the government would respond to the event by banning all trade with illegal settlements, which are endorsed by the Israeli government.

"We have been very clear not only that no businesses should be engaging in trade or marketing around the illegal settlements, but that they certainly should not be doing so on UK soil," she replied.

"We take this issue so seriously, which is why the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have raised it directly with the Advertising Standards Authority.

"We have asked the authority to urgently look into the matter and reassure us that, if there is any evidence of the advertising or promotion of property in illegal settlements at that event or any others, it will uphold the law, regulations and guidance that apply."

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A spokesperson for the Advertising Standards Authority said: "We have received a handful of complaints about leaflets and brochures for the Great Israeli Real Estate event.

"As we do in all cases, we will carefully assess the complaints and the materials in question to establish remit and, if it is subject to our rules, whether there appear to be grounds for any further action. We have not launched an investigation at this time."

A referral has been made to the Metropolitan Police.

A Counter Terrorism Policing spokesperson said: "The Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) War Crimes Team has received around 240 referrals relating to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict since 7 October 2023.

"We will not be commenting on the specific nature of each and every referral. As is the case with all referrals, there are assessed by specialist officers to determine whether any UK-based investigation may be required...

"At this time, there is no UK-based investigation into any matters relating to this particular conflict."

Hundreds of rival protesters gathered outside the event to protest in support and opposition to the event at Edgware United Synagogue on Sunday. Fourteen people were arrested.

The organisers of the Great Israeli Real Estate Show, and estate agents Yigal Realty, Harey Zahav and Jerusalem Real Estate, have been contacted for comment.

(c) Sky News 2026: Campaigners criticise apology from property show after illegal Israeli settlements advertised