Protests Erupt Over Israeli Property Event in London Synagogue

About 1,000 people protested for and against a show promoting the sale of property in Israel on Sunday, with police making 14 arrests.

Those opposed to the event, which was held in a north-west London synagogue, claimed it was also selling property in land illegally occupied by Israel and was part of an expansionist plan to drive out Palestinians. Organisers denied this was the case.

Police tried to keep rival protesters apart outside the Edgware United synagogue, which is in a predominantly Jewish area.

Groups which say they speak for the majority of British Jewish opinion say the repeated pro-Palestinian protests amount to intimidation and harassment, especially if held in a Jewish area.

Pro-Palestinian groups deny this and see it as an attempt to silence protest over widely alleged Israeli human rights abuses.

The Metropolitan police commander Adam Slonecki said: “We have liaised with the venue and the community security trust and have deployed officers to prevent serious disruption and to deal with any offences, using the full range of powers available to us including imposing conditions under the Public Order Act.

“We are mindful that Jewish communities are experiencing heightened fear and concern following two and a half years of sustained protest and, in recent months, a series of arsons and other attacks.

“There is a distinction between protesting in central London and protesting in the heart of communities where the potential to cause serious disruption and intimidation is greater and our policing plan reflects that.”

Those attending the invite-only Great Israeli Real Estate Event, which appealed to those thinking of moving to Israel and also included information on burial services, had to go through metal detectors as they entered the synagogue.

Police said, of those gathered outside, five people were arrested for violent disorder, and one of those was also arrested for assaulting a police officer.

Seven people were arrested for Public Order Act offences, four of which were alleged to be racially or religiously aggravated, as well as one person accused of assaulting a police officer and one for common assault.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews said the pro-Palestinian protests were organised on bogus grounds and amounted to intimidation: “The event organisers have publicly refuted claims that the event is marketing real estate over the green line. It is very disappointing that MPs and other public figures have not acknowledged this and instead inflamed tensions through partial and misleading commentary.

“Protesting at a synagogue based on false pretences seems to be little more than an excuse to harass and intimidate members of the Jewish community.”

Before the event groups including Amnesty International had said it should be cancelled, a call supported by about 100 MPs and peers.

In a letter to the foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, they wrote: “Allowing the event to proceed would not only be inconsistent with current UK government guidance on settlement-related economic activity, it would stand in opposition to the government’s obligations under international law.”

Those opposed say previous similar events overseas included promoting property in the occupied territories.