Nearly 100 UK MPs and peers urge cancellation of Israeli settlement event

What Happened

Nearly 100 UK MPs and peers signed a letter to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper urging cancellation of the 'Great Israeli Real Estate Event' scheduled in London this Sunday. The event, whose location is being kept secret, advertises and facilitates the sale of land in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The letter, published by MP Andy McDonald, warns that hosting it could implicate the UK in international war crimes and urges the government to uphold international law and prevent the event. London Mayor Sadiq Khan also condemned the event. Legal groups have asked the Metropolitan Police to investigate blocking it under a Serious Crime Prevention Order. A Middle East Eye investigation has connected the event to companies involved in illegal settlements, including Harey Zahav and The Meshulam Levinstein Group.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The event connects diaspora real estate promotion directly to illegal Israeli settlement expansion, testing UK enforcement of international law regarding occupied territories. The pressure from nearly 100 MPs and peers reflects growing political opposition to normalising settlement activity in the UK, and the government's response could set a precedent for how similar activities are treated.

Watch For

Whether the Metropolitan Police blocks the event with a Serious Crime Prevention Order before its scheduled Sunday date; the Foreign Secretary's response to the MPs' letter; and any protests or further legal actions.