Royal Society for Arts in Israel row as staff walk out over event
The Royal Society for Arts (RSA) is embroiled in a row after its staff walked out over an event where Israel’s ambassador made a speech about the nation’s “resilience”.
Workers gathered outside the organisation’s building on Thursday to protest against the event, which aimed to promote trade between the UK and Israel.
Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister and Tzipi Hotovely, the Israeli Ambassador to the UK, attended the event in Charing Cross, which was held to promote UK-Israeli trade ties and investment in startups.
But the presence of the ambassador – who is understood to have made a speech about Israeli resilience – was thought to have inflamed tensions as protesters encouraged others to join through social media and WhatsApp.
In a statement the RSA Union said staff were “shocked and disgusted” to discover that the organisation was hosting the event.
“As a union, we stand in full solidarity with the people of Palestine,” they said. “We were appalled that the RSA hosted leading figures in a government overseeing a brutal settler colonial occupation.”
The union added that “many staff made the decision to leave the building upon learning about the event”.
The RSA said it did not condone the event in an apology, claiming that details about the event were not disclosed in advance.
A spokesperson said: “An event is being held at the RSA today by an external client who did not disclose the full event details in advance. The RSA neither condones nor endorses this event. We are an apolitical organisation and have launched an internal investigation.
“We apologise extensively to anyone affected and upset by this today and will ensure that robust measures are put in place in the future to ensure this will not happen again.”
But the society was accused of being “disingenuous” in denying it knew of the event beforehand.
Atif Shafique, former senior researcher for the public services and communities team at the RSA, responded on X: “This post is disingenuous. The leaked email to staff shows you were made aware of the nature of the event yesterday.
“You could have – and should have – cancelled it then. If it was a front for a Russian fundraiser you certainly would have. As a former RSA employee, I’m appalled.”
Opportunity for entrepreneurs
The Restart IL. Economy London summit, held with support from the Israeli embassy, aimed to encourage investments in the country’s startups following the Oct 7 Hamas terror attack in which 1,200 Israelis were killed. The summit was described as an opportunity for entrepreneurs to meet with private and institutional investors rather than as a fundraiser.
The Telegraph understands there was an Israeli family present who expressed interest in investing in 1,200 startups in memory of all the victims of the attack.
A pre-recorded speech by Isaac Herzog, the Israeli president, was also shown to guests.
The Metropolitan Police arrested one man, who they said was not believed to be part of the protest, after he was asked to leave the event by security.
The force added that they dispersed the demonstrating group quickly with protesters moving away from the building before 2pm.
The RSA describes itself as a social change organisation with a founding mission to “embolden enterprise, enlarge science, refine art, improve our manufacturers and extend our commerce”.
Its president is the Princess Royal, who took over from the late Duke of Edinburgh in 2011, and its former patron was Elizabeth II. The organisation was granted a Royal Charter in the 1840s.
Notable fellows and former members include Stephen Hawking, Adam Smith, Benjamin Franklin, Charles Dickens, Sir David Attenborough and Dame Judi Dench.
