An Israeli real estate event in Canada and the United States is facing major backlash from residents as well as pro-Palestinian activists, over advertising properties located in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law.

The event, titled “The Great Israeli Real Estate Event,” took place in Montreal, on the evening of Tuesday, March 5, 2024, and there will be upcoming events in Toronto, New Jersey, and New York this month, according to what was reported by the British Middle East Eye website.

The event's website advertises properties located in several occupied cities, and lists the following Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank: Neve Daniel, Efrat, and Ma'ale Adumim.

The Jewish Link, a Jewish newspaper from the northeastern United States, reported that individuals can register to participate in the event on the My Home in Israel website.

The “My Home in Israel” website offers properties for sale in several areas in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

According to the company's website, the property offered for sale in occupied East Jerusalem will be available for sale at the exhibition in Teaneck, New Jersey, which will be held at the Keter Torah synagogue.

The upcoming event in Teaneck was met with intense anger from the local community, including Palestinian, Muslim and Jewish residents, according to the same source.

Rich Siegel, a Jewish resident of Teaneck, raised concerns about the real estate event during a town meeting last week, pointing to settlement properties and saying that if the event goes ahead, it will help spark protests against it.

Requests to stop the event

In turn, Dina Sayed Ahmed, communications director at the New Jersey branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said in a statement: “The Muslim and Jewish communities in Teaneck have expressed their concern about the sale process taking place in their town,” calling on “the federal authorities to act immediately and open an investigation.” In this planned event.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law, but Israel distinguishes between settlements and outposts, while outposts are considered illegal under its own laws.

In addition to the event being held in light of the Israeli war on Gaza, in which Israeli forces killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, the event is also being held in light of the escalation of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians.

The British website Middle East Eye reported earlier this year that since October 2023, Israeli settlers have attacked Palestinians in the West Bank 200 times.