The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians formally asked the Metropolitan Police's war crimes unit to probe the Jerusalem Development Authority, which is promoting tourism via its "iTravelJerusalem" platform. The complaint focuses on the financial and commercial benefits flowing between the World Travel Market organizers and the settlement-linked Israeli agency. Tensions escalated at the venue when security guards physically removed two Palestine Solidarity Campaign activists for protesting beside the stand. Meanwhile, 15 Members of Parliament have urged ministers to ban promotional materials that advertise unlawful settlement activities.
Key points
A group of 15 British lawmakers demanded the government remove exhibitors and promotional…: A group of 15 British lawmakers demanded the government remove exhibitors and promotional materials tied to illegal Israeli settlements.
The Jerusalem Development Authority has actively promoted controversial East Jerusalem in…: The Jerusalem Development Authority has actively promoted controversial East Jerusalem infrastructure, including a 2020 cable car project and housing near Beit Safafa.
Legal campaigners argue that hosting the Israeli agency conflicts with the UK government'…: Legal campaigners argue that hosting the Israeli agency conflicts with the UK government's position declaring Israel's territorial occupation illegal.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
The Metropolitan Police have been urged to investigate the participation of an Israeli agency involved in the construction of illegal settlements at an international travel event in London.
MEE revealed last week that the World Travel Market (WTM) event this week, which faced a pro-Palestine protest on Tuesday and will continue until Thursday, was set to feature a stand run by the Israeli government's tourist office.
The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP, a UK-based legal group, sent a letter to the Met Police's war crimes team on Tuesday demanding the "urgent investigation and consideration of preventative measures in relation to the reported participation of the Jerusalem Development Authority (JDA), through its tourism platform iTravelJerusalem, at World Travel Market (WTM) London".
Activists with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) protested next to Israel's stand on Tuesday, holding a banner reading "Every settlement is a war crime".
Video footage showed two activists being physically removed from the event by security guards.
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Human rights advocates and lawmakers are challenging commercial ties between British trade organizers and Israeli statutory bodies operating in occupied territories. The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians requested that British war crimes investigators review the Jerusalem Development Authority's promotional presence at a major tourism trade fair. This scrutiny highlights mounting pressure on the UK to align commercial events with its official stance against settlement expansion.