Divest for Palestine
Israel's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza has killed many tens, if not hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and displaced over 90% of the entire population, most multiple times. Due to Israel's blockade, and its targeting of life-sustaining infrastructure, Palestinians in Gaza are facing famine.
Israel can only carry out its devastating assaults on Palestinians because of the support provided by corporations and financial institutions.
Divestment campaigns urge banks, local government pension funds, and universities to withdraw investments from companies that help sustain Israel's genocide and apartheid.
This includes companies that:
1) Supply weapons and military technology to Israel.
2) Provide infrastructure, like roads or transport lines, for Israel's illegal military occupation of Palestinian land.
3) Conduct business activity in, or with, Israel's illegal settlement enterprise, therefore contributing to Israel's colonisation of Palestinian land.
Palestinians have called on people around the world to launch divestment campaigns as an effective way of showing solidarity with their struggle for freedom.
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Divest
PSC’s research has uncovered that Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) funds, administered by councils across Britain, collectively invest over £12billion in companies complicit in Israel’s oppression of Palestinians.
Through its genocide in Gaza, its illegal military occupation of Palestinian land, and its imposition of a system of apartheid, Israel is in breach of the fundamental norms of international law. The UK is under a legal obligation not to recognise or assist Israel in its grave violations of international law, and to do everything in its power to bring them to an end.
This means that local councils administering a Pension Fund must take immediate action to divest from companies enabling or profiting from Israel’s crimes, such as arms companies supplying Israel with weapons used in its genocide, and companies involved in the financing and construction of Israel’s illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land. They must put in place policies to ensure no future investments can be made in these companies.
More and more councils are beginning to take action – check our timeline of divestment milestones here.
We demand all councils divest for Palestine now!
Campaigning Resources:
- Legal Notice Issued to Councils
- Divest for Palestine Leaflet
- Divest Now A2 Placard
- The LGPS – A Campaigners Guide
- Timeline of divestment milestones
LGPS DIVEST!
Universities
Many British universities are deeply complicit in Israel’s current bombardment of the Palestinian people, its ongoing occupation and apartheid, through:
1) Investments in companies complicit in the oppression of Palestine
2) Institutional ties with complicit institutions and companies
PSC research has uncovered that British universities invest over £420m in companies complicit in Israeli apartheid. Many student groups are running divestment campaigns to end this complicity.
Find us on Instagram and Twitter – and get in touch if you want a workshop or materials for your university.
Join the student movement!
Boycott Barclays
Barclays is bankrolling Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestinians.
Our new research has uncovered that Barclays bank now holds over £2 billion in shares, and provides £6.1 billion in loans and underwriting, to 9 companies whose weapons, components, and military technology are being used by Israel in its attacks on Palestinians.
By providing investment and financial services to these arms companies, Barclays is facilitating the provision of weapons and technology for Israel’s attacks on Palestinians.
We’re calling on concerned people to boycott all Barclays services until the bank ends its grave complicity in Israel’s attacks on Palestinians.
