The invitation-only property roadshow at Edgware United Synagogue in London openly promoted homes in Israeli settlements across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to activists. Inside the fair the atmosphere was calm and tightly policed, while outside hundreds protested and 15 people were arrested. More than 100 British lawmakers, human rights groups and the London mayor condemned the promotion of sales in settlements widely regarded as illegal under international law.
Inside a London Fair Marketing Homes In Israeli Settlements Deemed 'Unacceptable'
Activists saw leaflets marketing homes in illegal Israeli settlements at the controversial property fair [Courtesy of Jewish Anti-Zionist Action group]
Activists who gained entry to an invitation-only property roadshow at Edgware United Synagogue in London say organisers openly marketed homes located in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem — developments widely condemned as illegal under international law.
What Happened Inside The Fair
Photographs and eyewitness accounts shared with reporters show leaflets advertising developments described as just minutes from Jerusalem, including brochures for Maale Adumim that boasted “some with pools.” Attendees describe an atmosphere that was calm, heavily policed and tightly controlled: plainclothes security staff wearing body cameras circulated among stalls, while exhibitors handed out branded pens, chocolates and flyers in a setting one guest likened to a university freshers’ fair.
Brochures offered people information about buying homes in ‘the heart of Israel’ [Courtesy of Jewish Anti-Zionist Action group]
One attendee, identifying herself as Isabel and speaking on condition of anonymity as a member of Jewish Anti-Zionist Action, said she heard virtually no discussion of Palestinians. Agents instead pitched properties to English-speaking buyers, referring to potential relocations for people from the United States, the UK and South Africa as “Anglo-communities.”
Properties And Tactics
Isabel said estate agents framed the wartime context — following the Gaza conflict — as a buyer’s market, arguing that price drops might make now a good time to secure a discount. At the Harey Zahav stand she was shown listings for Jerusalem and Netanya, while Tivuch Shelly circulated flyers for neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem such as Givat Hamatos and Ramat Eshkol. When she asked about quieter locations, agents quietly referred to holdings in “Judea and Samaria,” the Israeli political term for the occupied West Bank, and offered to send detailed information packs privately.
Pro-Palestine protesters, MPs and several rights groups had called on the UK to ban the event [Toby Shepheard/Reuters]
“This event sells property on illegally occupied stolen Palestinian land,” a demonstrator shouted before being removed by security, according to activists who attended.
Protests And Political Reaction
Outside the synagogue hundreds of protesters chanted slogans and held placards reading messages such as “Stop Israel’s illegal sale of stolen Palestinian land” and “Thou shalt not steal.” The Metropolitan Police said 15 people were arrested during demonstrations for a range of offences, including public order matters.
More than 100 British lawmakers — including members of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party — signed a letter urging the UK government to “uphold its obligations under international law” and ensure the promotion of what they described as illegal activities does not proceed. Human rights groups including Amnesty International, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, publicly criticised the fair. Green Party leader Zack Polanski has called for a Metropolitan Police investigation into the event; the mayor said any allegations of criminality would be assessed by the Met.
A police officer stands guard near counterprotesters, as people from pro-Palestine groups gathered near the Edgware United Synagogue for a demonstration against the property fair organised by real-estate agency My Home in Israel, which markets property in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, in London, June 14, 2026 [Toby Shepheard/Reuters]
Context And Legal Views
Israel began building settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem after the 1967 Six-Day War. United Nations bodies and a majority of countries view those settlements as illegal under international law. Current estimates put more than 700,000 Israeli settlers — roughly 10 percent of Israel's population — living across some 150 settlements and about 128 outposts in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Israeli authorities have funded and expanded settlements, including measures to regulate Palestinian construction in Area C, the portion of the West Bank under full Israeli administration. The article notes that the United States has frequently provided diplomatic protection for Israel at the UN, using its veto power to block resolutions critical of Israeli settlement policy.
What This Means
The event highlights how overseas property marketing can intersect with broader geopolitical disputes: what promoters framed as normal real-estate opportunities were seen by critics as the sale of property on occupied land. The controversy has prompted political scrutiny and calls for legal and police review in the UK.
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