Story so far.

World Travel Market (WTM) London, taking place from 3–5 November, is set to host an Israeli government tourist stand featuring iTravelJerusalem, a tourism platform managed by the Jerusalem Development Authority (JDA). The JDA carries out development initiatives across Jerusalem and has been heavily involved in the construction and expansion of illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territory.

A tourism event should not be used to normalise Israel’s occupation or to promote companies responsible for the displacement and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.

Why this matters

The Jerusalem Development Authority is a statutory agency of the Israeli government and Jerusalem municipality. It has been linked to settlement expansion and projects that threaten Palestinian communities, including plans to evict the Umm Haroun compound and construct a 320-unit settlement in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. The JDA also plans to build a large settlement housing project next to Beit Safafa in East Jerusalem.

By providing a platform for iTravelJerusalem, WTM is helping to promote tourism shaped by the occupation of Palestinian land and the displacement of its people.

The concern extends beyond iTravelJerusalem. The Israeli government tourist stand is also shared with Africa Israel Hotels, whose former parent group has been involved in settlement projects in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

UK Government’s settlement action

This comes as the British government has formally recognised that Israel’s occupation is unlawful and committed to a suite of action against illegal settlements. This includes a ban on advertising or promotion of land and property in illegal settlements, a ban on the import of goods from illegal settlements, and sanctions against companies and individuals that support, facilitate or profit from illegal settlement activity.

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."

WTM’s decision to platform organisations like ITravelJerusalem and Africa Israel Hotels therefore flouts an imminent statutory ban, putting the event in direct opposition to the UK governments stance.

Our demands

Friends of Al-Aqsa is calling on World Travel Market London to:

• Remove the Israeli government tourist stand to prevent the event from providing a platform for tourism promotion connected to illegal Israeli settlements, ethnic cleansing, and the dispossession of Palestinians.

• Explain what steps they are taking to ensure WTM London does not promote or legitimise illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.

Take action:

Email WTM

WTM London opens on 3 November. There is little time to act.

Email the organisers today. Tell them that tourism must not be used to normalise occupation, and demand that the Israeli government’s tourism stand be removed from the event.

Protest

Join our protest at the Excel Centre's Western Gateway on Tuesday 3 November, 12:00 PM.