A letter has been sent to all councillors in Berkshire pushing for a public sector pensions scheme to ‘divest’ from Israel.
A letter has been sent to all councillors in Berkshire urging the public sector pensions scheme to divest from Israel.
The East Berkshire Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) has been pushing for over a year for the Berkshire Pensions Fund to withdraw investments from companies they allege support Israeli security forces.
This fund serves public sector workers across Berkshire, including all six councils, schools, and paid volunteers.
Recently, the PSC obtained a legal opinion regarding investments in firms linked to Israeli arms, citing accusations of genocide against Israeli forces in Gaza, a claim allegedly supported by the International Court of Justice.
Through a freedom of information request, the PSC revealed that the Berkshire Pension Fund holds investments in AE Systems PLC, Safran SA, and GE Aerospace, all of which are reportedly used by the Israeli Defence Forces.
The PSC's letter to councillors argues: "The fund has investments in companies enabling these illegal acts, yet the pension committee has refused to divest or consult scheme members on ethical choices. We’ve faced resistance despite lobbying for over a year, but we won't back down.
"Seventeen other UK councils have already committed to divest. Berkshire’s fund is prolonging the suffering of millions of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel is becoming a pariah state, and delaying divestment could soon impact investment returns. We urge action now, rather than when it becomes financially necessary."
Campaigners will present their case at the Bracknell Forest Council meeting on Wednesday, September 10.
The fund is managed by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, with oversight from a Fund Committee comprising councillors from all six Berkshire councils.
Other councils that have committed to divest include Oxford City, Tower Hamlets, Bristol City, and North Somerset.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
