LONDON, June 14 (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Demonstrators gathered today at the Edgware United Synagogue to protest the hosting of an event marketing property located in Israeli settlements within the occupied West Bank.
The gathering, which included members of the Jewish Anti-Zionist Action (JAZA) and the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), aimed to condemn the sale of land widely considered illegal under international law.
The event, titled The Great Israeli Real Estate Event, relocated to the synagogue after a previously scheduled venue withdrew its support. Protesters displayed banners reading “war crimes out of our synagogues” and held a prayer service on the street.
Despite the peaceful nature of the demonstration, witnesses reported that participants faced police intervention, leading to several arrests as activists sought to block access to the venue.
Strong Condemnation from Groups
JAZA released a formal statement before the protest began, expressing deep opposition to the event’s location and intent. The group argued that using a religious space to facilitate the sale of land in occupied territories conflates Jewish identity with political expansionism. Members emphasized that they reject any attempts to present the colonization of Palestinian territory as a communal interest for Jewish people.
“Alongside the more than 100 civil society organisations and the more than 100 MPs that have publicly opposed this event, we are proud to join the peaceful and public protest against the event this Sunday,” the group stated.
The controversy surrounding the real estate event extends beyond street-level activism. The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) issued a formal legal notice to the leadership of the Edgware United Synagogue prior to the event. The notice warned that hosting the exhibition posed significant legal and reputational risks, given that the sale of settlement property is linked to violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
More than 100 Members of Parliament and peers also signed a joint declaration calling for the cancellation of the event. They urged the government to investigate whether hosting such sales on British soil could implicate the UK in international war crimes. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International UK, joined in the condemnation, arguing that the exhibition serves to normalize settlement expansion by bundling these properties with mainstream Israeli real estate.
Government Response to Settlements
The UK government responded to the outcry by reiterating its official stance that Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are illegal under international law. Officials confirmed they are currently working on updated guidance to ensure British businesses refrain from participating in ventures that support the expansion of these outposts.
The event in London is part of a broader international tour known as The Great Israeli Real Estate Event. Previous stops in North American cities, including New York and Toronto, faced similar multi-faith protests. Organizers reportedly use these events to sell properties in areas such as Efrat and Ma’ale Adumim. Activists are currently working to investigate whether tax loopholes are being exploited by allowing buyers to claim deductions on these purchases through registered religious charities, a practice they are urging the government to address immediately.
