A “powerful” motion in response to an “ongoing genocide against Palestine by Israel” will be taken to the Isle of Wight’s full council, a councillor said yesterday (Wednesday).
Speaking to the press at County Hall, Empowering Islanders group leader Councillor Chris Jarman said it was a “very tricky, very political and very emotive topic” but added “people were very keen” for the matter to be taken forward.
Confidential report
His comments came after the Isle of Wight Pension Fund Committee (IWPFC) privately considered a confidential report on a motion he had previously submitted to the panel.
The report was confidential under the Local Government Act 1972 – ‘information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)’.
Proposal deferred to Full Council
Councillor Jarman’s original motion was for the IWPFC to ‘strongly urge’ fund managers ‘to avoid any direct or indirect investment which may or may be seen to be supporting or enabling the continuing genocide in Gaza’.
He made a further proposal unanimously passed by the committee yesterday,
“The matter will be taken forward as a member motion to full council which is coming up very shortly – 17th September – and it will be for Full Council to consider the broader issue relating to the components raised in this motion, so deferring those issues to Full Council.
“That will not include the investment elements because that’s not a full council decision.”
Jarman: Full Council seems to be a very appropriate route
After the meeting he said,
“It’s not something that is necessarily appropriate for the pension committee because they do have a fiduciary duty, so taking it to Full Council as a wider motion seems to be a very appropriate route.
“People are very keen that this is taken forward – the sentiment is very powerful – it’s a very emotional topic. We’re all witnesses to an ongoing genocide against Palestine by Israel – 65,000 people have been killed by Israel, the majority of them have been civilians, 20,000 plus children.
“The problem we have is that very few people at the moment are taking effective action and the question before the council will be what action shall we take? It will be a powerful motion.”
Legal notice to all councils
This week, the nationwide Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) said it had issued a legal notice to all councils in England and Wales overseeing a Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) fund.
The group said the notice, written by legal experts, outlines ‘that they (councils) must take steps to divest from companies enabling and profiting from Israel’s genocide, military occupation and apartheid against Palestinians’.
Milford: Disappointing that they didn’t go for a full blown motion
UNISON trade union representative Steve Milford, who serves on IWPFC, told the press,
“Members have been given a deluge of legal information about this and it was very daunting to challenge the position. Whilst it is disappointing that they didn’t go for a full blown motion, I do understand the reasons.
“There are counter legal arguments put forward by PSC that all authorities that don’t at least consider divestment…are possibly open to legal action on the basis of international law.”
Stuart: Repeatedly pointed out my full support to hold the Israeli government to account
Liberal Democrat member of IWPFC Councillor Nick Stuart said,
“I have repeatedly pointed out my full support to hold the Israeli government to account for the destruction of Gaza and the deaths and injuries of innocent civilians by arms and deliberate starvation.
“As well as the dreadful crimes committed by Hamas including the holding of Israeli hostages. The place to consider our collective response is in full council, and in parliament where my party colleagues have vigorously pursued this issue.
“The legal limitations upon the pension committee were obvious from the start and this specific motion should never have been allowed to waste so much time and resources while raising public expectations that could never be met.”
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
