JEREMY Corbyn has hit out at UK Government inaction after it was confirmed that illegal Israeli settlements were advertised at a London property show.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper was urged last week to ban the Great Israeli Real Estate Event, with MPs warning illegal settlements are being advertised alongside properties in Israeli cities.
But prior to the event on Sunday, a spokesperson denied claims that any such properties would be promoted there. They told Jewish News: "All exhibitors, without exception, will provide information about properties and projects within the Green Line.
"We believe that these ridiculous 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 marketing material leaked to Sky News by a member of Jewish Anti-Zionist Action – a UK protest group of pro-Palestinian Jews – who attended the show appears to show the exact opposite.
Now, Your Party MP Jeremy Corbyn has told The National that it is “beyond disgraceful” the event was allowed to go ahead.
“We warned the UK Government that Israel was selling occupied Palestinian land to the highest bidder,” he said.
“And that is exactly what happened. Once again, the Government has exposed its flagrant contempt for international law as well as its own cowardice toward Israel’s illegal occupation.”
Corbyn then brought up comments made by Cooper last week in which she said that “if we find any cases where there are breaches of UK law, we will also pursue them”.
Corbyn added: “What is she waiting for?”
Speaking at Foreign Office questions on Tuesday afternoon, Green Party Westminster leader Ellie Chowns also hit out at the UK Government.
“In relation to West Bank settlement activity, the Secretary of State set out piecemeal and entirely inadequate measures last week to address this," she said.
“It was raised to her at that point that the UK would be hosting a Great Israeli Real Estate Event at the weekend. She undertook to look into it. That event took place. At that event, properties in illegal settlements were being marketed on British territory.
“The Government has been sent the evidence about this. How is it that this Government fails even to prevent the marketing of illegal property in this country, and still fails to take action?
“The Secretary of State continues to tell us about the meetings that she’s had, but what we want is leadership. The UK has a particular responsibility. Will she step up and ban trade with illegal settlements?”
Responding, Cooper said: “We have been very clear that not only should no businesses be engaging in trade or in marketing around the illegal settlements, they certainly should not be doing so on UK soil.
“And that is why my colleague, the minister for the Middle East and North Africa (Hamish Falconer), and also the DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) have raised this now directly with the Advertising Standards Agency, because we take this so seriously.
“We have asked them now to urgently look into this and to reassure us that, if there is any evidence of the advertising or promotion of property in illegal settlements at this or any other events, they will uphold the law, regulations, and guidance that apply.
“It is extremely important that those standards are met in the UK, and that is exactly why we have raised this so seriously with the Advertising Standards Agency.”
The Foreign Office was approached for comment.
