Police urged to investigate London event advertising settlement-linked Israeli agency

Activists have called on the Metropolitan Police to investigate the involvement of an Israeli agency in illegal settlement activities at an international travel event in London. The World Travel Market (WTM) event, set to run from Tuesday to Thursday, will feature a stand managed by the Jerusalem Development Authority (JDA) through its tourism platform iTravelJerusalem.

The JDA, a statutory agency of the Israeli government, is responsible for development initiatives in Jerusalem and has been involved in the construction and expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory since 2023.

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), a UK-based legal group, has sent a letter to the Met Police's war crimes team demanding an urgent investigation into the reported participation of the JDA at the WTM. The ICJP's letter highlights the potential financial benefits the organizers may receive from the partnership with an agency implicated in settlement-related activities.

Activists protested outside the Supreme Court in central London on Tuesday, holding a banner that read "Every settlement is a war crime." Ryvka Barnard, deputy director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), stated that the Israeli state's presence at the event is an "utter disgrace." The British government previously acknowledged that Israel's occupation is illegal and announced comprehensive sanctions on Israeli settlements, including a ban on advertising illegal settlements. However, the Israeli stand at the WTM appears to contradict this stance.