A petition was put to West Berkshire Council calling for pension investments supporting the Israeli military to be stopped.
A petition has been submitted to West Berkshire Council, urging them to stop pension investments that support the Israeli military.
Filed by Green councillor Carolyne Culver, the petition demands the Berkshire Pension Fund divest from companies seen as complicit in what’s described as Israeli genocide and apartheid.
This follows an earlier motion in October, where the council was asked to review its pension investments and identify any ties to firms providing arms, military tech, or support that contribute to violations of international law in Gaza.
The motion called for council officials to collaborate with asset managers to sever these investments and push for similar actions from the Berkshire Pension Fund.
Green group leader David Marsh emphasised the importance of ethical investment, stating, "Residents deserve to know that we’ve managed their funds to the highest ethical standards."
A report on the next steps to address the petition is expected within 10 days.
Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter
