The Bloody Sunday Trust, BDS Strabane, and Derry IPSC have welcomed the commitment by Derry City and Strabane District Council (DCSDC) to an investment strategy in support of Palestinian rights which will see it divesting from companies that are not Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) compliant.
The announcement comes following a meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s BDS working group. The meeting confirmed that council have divested from all UK banks and building societies that have been identified in the 2023 “Continued complicity in Illegal Israeli settlement enterprise Report”
The UN Advisory Opinion of July 2024, determined that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories since 1967, and the subsequent creation of Israeli settlements and exploitation of natural resources within those territories are illegal under international law.
This creates a clear legal and moral imperative for organisations across all sectors to comprehensively review all economic ties with Israel, including business and finance, pension funds, academia and charities.
While welcoming the Council decision in this context, the three groups say that it must now go further and implement an ethical procurement policy that is also BDS compliant.
While procurement is an issue that is covered by a range of legislation, the Procurement Act 2023 provides a clear legal basis for taking ethical issues into account during procurement, and the current situation in Palestine is clearly an ethical issue that has to be prioritised.
Bloody Sunday Trust Chairperson Tony Doherty said:
This is welcome news
Since Israel broke the ceasefire almost two months ago not a piece of bread, a bottle of water, or a pill of medicine has been allowed to reach Gaza. Humanitarian operations have been stifled by a combination of expanded military activity, the Israeli government’s blockade on the entry of humanitarian aid and commercial supplies, killing of aid workers, attacks on medical facilities and the displacement of over 400,000 people. Over 15,000 children have been killed since October 2023.
Across the West Bank the Israeli military has been conducting devastating military operations in which hundreds have been killed, many thousands have been displaced, and massive damage has been caused. Israel’s illegal settlements continue to expand and grow unchecked, with regular announcements by the Israeli Government of new homes on stolen Palestinian land that are met with silence by the international community including shamefully the Irish Government.
Given the clear legal precedent that now exists for such action, Derry City and Strabane District Council can and must take a much stronger line on procurement.
“In Britain, Oxford City Council has passed a motion to cut ties with companies which are complicit in violations of human rights and international law. In its decision, the council cited the recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) rulings that it is plausible that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
“The recent Oxford City Council motion follows the earlier 2016 UK High Court ruling in favour of three Councils which had passed boycott motions in solidarity with Palestine.
“DCSDC can and should significantly strengthen its approach to implementing BDS policies. It should also recognize that one local council acting on its own can do little but a joint approach with Donegal, Belfast and other like-minded Councils across the North would have a much more powerful impact. This is something that DCSDC should therefore actively explore.”
“Adam Mc Ginley, Co-Chairperson of BDS Strabane
“We welcome the news that Derry City & Strabane District Council has taken divestment action against financial institutions that hold investments in companies who operate in illegal settlements across Palestine.
Following the recent BDS Working Group meeting, we were informed on council’s divestment. They also communicated their commitment to undertaking an Ethical Procurement Policy which will be BDS complaint, in effect, implementing the boycott of Israeli goods, services and complicit companies.
This is a massive win for BDS & the Palestinian solidarity movement. Our hope, is that this will serve as an example to other local authorities & will hopefully galvanise them to take similar action.
We will continue to push DSDC to ensure they uphold their obligations under international law & along with Derry IPSC, Bloody Sunday Trust and council members, we will work to ensure further progress & input to council through the BDS Working Group in these matters.
Let’s, together, stand against Israeli genocide, occupation, apartheid and bring to a close the dangerous ideology of Zionism.
Let’s, together, stand on the right side of history”.
“Catherine Hutton, Chairperson of Derry IPSC welcomed the news that Derry City & Strabane District Council have divested from financial institutions that hold investments from companies who operate in illegal settlements in Palestine, and will work towards fully implementing the boycott of Israeli goods and services through the Ethical procurement policy and with input from the BDS Working Group guided by BDS Movement.
This is a huge win for BDS, an example to other local authorities and a message of solidarity to the Palestinian people.”
