Palestinian ambassador urges action over London event advertising settlement-linked Israeli agency

The Jerusalem Development Authority is involved in the construction of illegal Israeli settlements and efforts to dispossess Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem Palestinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Husam Zomlot delivers a speech on Parliament square, central London, on 8 June 2024 (AFP) Published date: 30 October 2026 13:31 GMT | Last update: 7 sec ago The Palestinian ambassador to Britain has urged the UK government to take action after Middle East Eye revealed that an international travel event in London is set to advertise an Israeli agency involved in the construction of illegal settlements. World Travel Market (WTM) London is scheduled to take place between 3-5 November and will feature a stand run by the Israeli government's tourist office. MEE reported on Thursday that the Israeli stand is shared by numerous Israeli companies and organisations, including "iTravelJerusalem", which promotes tourism in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem and is managed by the Jerusalem Development Authority (JDA). The JDA, a statutory agency of the Israeli government and the Jerusalem municipality, carries out development initiatives across Jerusalem and has been heavily involved in the construction and expansion of illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territory. Hussam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to Britain, said on X on Thursday night: "Last month the UK Government banned the promotion of illegal settlements and committed to sanctioning those who support or profit from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "Next week Israeli companies guilty of ethnic cleansing will be platformed at [WTM London]." Zomlot added: "The UK government must now turn their words into action: enforce these commitments and ensure those complicit in illegal occupation and settlements face real consequences." Labour MP Sarah Champion, commenting on the issue, said: "London event advertises Israeli agency building illegal settlements. I thought these were banned?" Last month, the British government recognised Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory as illegal and announced comprehensive sanctions on Israeli settlements. JDA's settlement construction in East Jerusalem Israel’s stand at WTM London is also shared with Africa Israel Hotels, previously part of the Africa Israel Group, which has been involved in several settlement projects in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. In June, the British Foreign Office referred the Great Israeli Real Estate Event, held in London, to the advertising regulator after MEE reported that properties in illegal Israeli settlements were advertised at the event. But MEE revealed in August that the advertising regulator had not opened an investigation into the event. In September, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said in parliament: "Earlier this year, shamefully, just a few miles from here, we saw an expo advertising illegal settlement land. We must and we will ensure that that never happens again, so we will ban the advertising in the UK of illegal settlements." Exclusive: Miliband set on sanctions regardless of Israel election outcome as officials try to weaken measures Read More » According to a 2025 report by the Office of the European Union Representative for the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the JDA planned "for the eviction of the Umm Haroun compound - home to approximately 40 Palestinian families - and the construction of a 320-unit settlement" in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. In 2020, a JDA project to build a cable car in Jerusalem, which would involve the uprooting of trees and displacement of infrastructure including water, sewage and telecommunications, was approved by the Israeli government. The scheme is proceeding despite fierce local opposition and the withdrawal of four foreign companies, and continues to be actively promoted. "This project threatens the Palestinian communities and the timeless landscape of Jerusalem’s historic core," Israeli NGO Emek Shaveh said. "It is clear that the project’s central motivation is to consolidate the settlers’ hold in those areas as part of an effort to displace Palestinians from the Historic Basin and reshape Jerusalem’s cultural landscape." The JDA also plans to build a large settlement housing project next to the Palestinian community of Beit Safafa in East Jerusalem. The JDA is further promoting the controversial renovation of the Mamilla Pool tourist site in Jerusalem's old city, which critics say threatens a centuries-old Palestinian Muslim cemetery. WTM did not respond to MEE's request for comment by the time of publication. Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.