Welsh council’s pension fund urged to divest from companies linked to Israeli Government’s actions in Gaza

Anthony Lewis, local democracy reporter

Calls have been made to start talks on divesting money in a Welsh council’s pension fund from companies linked to the Israeli Government’s actions in Gaza.

A Plaid Cymru amendment to a Labour notice of motion at Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) full council on Wednesday, September 25, called on the council to “initiate the process of discussions necessary to achieve the aim of divesting all pension funds that are supporting companies linked to the Israeli Government’s oppression of Palestinians”.

It also requested that the leader of the council writes to the UK Prime Minister,
the First Minister of the Welsh Government, and to local MPs in Rhondda Cynon Taf to ask them to support the position outlined in the motion.

But the amendment was voted down with Labour members opposing it saying discussions were already under way on this although they did agree for the council leader to write to the Prime Minister and First Minister as well as local MPs on the issue.

Human rights abuses

In moving the motion Councillor Danny Grehan claimed local government pension scheme funds across Britain invest more than £4.4bn in companies linked to human rights abuses by the Israeli government.

He said: “Councils must take urgent action to fulfil their obligation not to be complicit in serious violations of human rights and international law.

“While the Palestinian people continue to resist the violence and destruction against them we must intensify our work to break the link between British organisations and corporations with the Israeli government’s machine of murder and oppression.

“Local campaigns for divestment are at the heart of this work and they make a difference.”

He said they must take a side and try to have an influence in any possible way to end the combat and that councils across Britain have huge investments and maintaining those investments “shows support for what the Israeli government is doing”.

He added: “Rational people on all sides want peace. We must play our part to find that peace.”

But Cllr Mark Norris, Labour, who is the chair of the RCT pension fund committee, said he agreed totally with the original motion but disagreed with the amendment because they’re already discussing divestment.

Ceasefire

The Labour motion which was supported called on the council to add its support to the calls for an immediate ceasefire, for all remaining hostages on both sides to be released and returned, for the implementation of an immediate and large-scale humanitarian aid programme for Gaza to alleviate the incredibly severe conditions on the ground, and the delivery of a viable and peaceful two-state solution that guarantees both a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.

It also called on the council to reaffirm its commitment to tackling both antisemitism and Islamophobia and ensure the well-being of residents and the cohesiveness of communities is upheld and protected.

Scrutiny

Council leader Andrew Morgan said he had received officers’ advice that meant they would not initiate change to the pension arrangements as scrutiny was already in place.

Cllr Aurfron Roberts asked the council meeting to commission a report from officers on pension arrangements.

RCT Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) expressed anger that a debate which did not fully address or recognise the ongoing genocide being perpetrated by the Israeli state against Palestinians – which has resulted in over 40,000 deaths – could not agree to talk to other councils about the pension arrangements of thousands of employees.

RCT PSC chair Andrew Draper said: “The group will be writing to Cllr Andrew Morgan to seek sight of the officers’ advice he said he has received, and to Cllr Norris about the meeting of the WPP at which investments in companies related to Israel were discussed. Marking your own homework isn’t good enough and we want full disclosure.”

Research by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign shows the Rhondda Cynon Taf Pension Fund has an investment of £97.8m in companies it accuses of oppressing the Palestinian people through its pension funds.

Mr Draper added: “The genocide being carried out by the Israeli state in Gaza is supported by these investments, as well as by UK political leaders looking the other way while arms companies profit from their tools of death and destruction.”