Councils must divest for Palestine

PSC branches are leading campaigns demanding that local councils divest pension funds they administer from companies enabling Israel’s crimes against Palestinians.

In recent days, protests have taken place at councils across Britain, including those pictured below in Islington, Brent, Lewisham and Newport, while petitions calling for divestment have been signed by many thousands of local residents.

We must keep the pressure up. Email your local councillors to ask they support divestment from companies enabling Israel’s massacres.

Our research has found that Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) funds, administered by councils across Britain, invest over £4.4billion in companies complicit in Israel’s human rights abuses.

LGPS funds invest tens of millions in Valero Energy, which supplies military grade jet fuel to the Israeli military, used to power its fighter jets bombing Gaza. In addition, Lockheed Martin, the primary producer of Israel’s F-35 fighter jets, also receives millions in investment from LGPS funds.

The UK has a legal obligation to take action to stop Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and to bring an end to its illegal military occupation of Palestinian land, and its practice of the crime of apartheid.

Councils must urgently take steps to fulfil their obligation not to be complicit in grave violations of human rights and international law. 

Find your local petition calling for divestment below.

While the Palestinian people continue to resist Israel’s genocidal violence, we must intensify our work to break the ties of complicity linking British institutions and corporations to Israel’s machine of murder and oppression.  

Local campaigns for divestment are at the heart of this work, and they are making a difference. In July, Waltham Forest Pension Fund committed to divest from arms companies after an inspiring campaign.  

Email your councillors today, and ask them to take action to stand for justice for Palestinians.

In solidarity, 

Lewis

PSC Campaigns Officer