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Spoof ads have appeared on Tube trains in London, in an attempt to draw attention to talks over an UK-Israel trade deal – which are ongoing despite Israel blocking aid and energy supplies to the Gaza strip.
The ‘subvertising’ stunt, a mock Labour party campaign poster, features an image of Foreign Secretary David Lammy shaking hands with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, with the text: “With Labour, Britain is doing deals with war criminals.”
One of the ads appears by a bus stop near Parliament, while over 200 were reportedly put up on Jubilee Line tube trains and stations, according to a source involved in the stunt. They were put up on Wednesday afternoon by a team of anonymous campaigners.
A spokesperson for the activists said: “Israel has committed the most serious war crimes and is under investigation for genocide at the ICJ, yet the UK Government says it wants to cosy up further to the country via a new trade deal.
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“Not only would a new trade agreement provide diplomatic support and help whitewash Israel’s war crimes, but the deal also stands to increase UK trade with the Israeli technology industry, which plays a central role in enforcing the occupation, including AI, facial recognition and cyber.”
They added: “Trade relations are one of the few sources of leverage that the UK holds over Israel that could put pressure on it to end its genocidal violence in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel’s trade and investment relations with the rest of the world also help it to sustain its illegal presence on Palestinian land.
“With Israel pouring huge amounts of money into the war, racking up huge debts, and tanking its credit rating, coordinated economic pressure by other countries could have an impact.”
