The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) has apologized and launched an internal investigation after holding an unannounced event in support of Israel at its headquarters in the British capital.
Anti-Israeli war demonstrators gathered on Gaza Carrying Palestinian flags outside the building in the middle London Yesterday, Thursday, to protest the organization of the event aimed at encouraging investments in emerging Israeli companies.
The Arts Society said it “neither condones nor supports” the event, which it said was held by “an external party who did not disclose the full details of the full event before organizing it.”
British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden and Israeli Ambassador to the United Kingdom Tzipi Hotovely were among those who attended this event, while Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke at the event remotely.
Hotovely’s participation in this event came hours after she said in an interview with the British Sky News channel that Israel “will not accept a Palestinian state,” which sparked a campaign of angry reactions in Britain.
“We are a non-political organization and have launched an internal investigation,” a statement posted on the association’s social media said. “We deeply apologize to anyone affected or upset by this day and we will take strong measures in the future to ensure this does not happen again.”
British media outlets, including the Middle East Eye website, reported that they had seen an internal email apologizing to “employees upset by the event” and advising them to contact human resources if they wanted further support.
Demonstrators said – in front of the association’s headquarters – that British investors should not invest in Israeli companies while “practices of apartheid, genocide, and war crimes” are taking place.
Hours after the protest began, police informed those present that they had activated public order powers to move them to a side street, where they continued to demonstrate and chanted, “Shame on you.”
