Since the founding of BDS, dozens of local authorities across Ireland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, France, the UK, Italy, Belgium, and Australia have passed resolutions that support BDS or that pledge not to deal with specific companies targeted by the BDS movement. Since the start of Israel’s Gaza genocide in 2023, even more municipalities have passed resolutions to divest from Israel or to end complicity in some way. These decisions are potent examples of putting solidarity into action.
Local governments have a key role to play
Local government bodies such as municipal and regional councils play a key role in our political systems. They often have relationships with companies and institutions that help Israel to oppress Palestinians. Campaigning for local governments to take action to end complicity is a vital way to build meaningful solidarity that reflects community values.
Several multinationals, such as Veolia and G4S, have ended their participation in Israel’s crimes after losing contracts and facing pressure from local government bodies.
Several multinationals, such as Veolia and G4S, have ended their participation in Israel’s crimes after losing contracts and facing pressure from local government bodies.
Many local government bodies have investment and procurement relationships with companies that help Israel to violate Palestinian rights or twinning relationships (sometimes called sister city agreements) with Israeli local government bodies that participate in Israeli violations of human rights. Local governments have an ethical responsibility and a legal obligation to break ties with companies and institutions involved in recognizing, aiding, or assisting Israeli violations of international law, as ruled by the International Court of Justice and affirmed by the UN General Assembly.
States are failing to hold Israel accountable, and in some cases, such as in the US, are actively participating in Israel’s genocide of Palestinians. This means that local governments, who have historically been an important part of upholding human rights and extending solidarity, have a vital role to play.
In 2015, French corporation Veolia sold off its Israeli businesses, including its role in the Jerusalem Light Rail, a tramway project built to help Israel connect up and expand its illegal settlements.
Veolia made this decision after local governments in countries across the world decided not to award it contracts because of its role in Israeli violations of international law. Veolia lost contracts worth at least $20bn.
Veolia’s withdrawal from Israel was a pivotal moment that showed how our movement is capable of holding corporations that aid and abet Israel’s human rights violations to account.
Similarly, G4S ended its business in Israel after several local government bodies boycotted it. Local councils are playing an absolutely vital role in building BDS pressure.
If you would like your city council to divest from or end contracts with companies that profit from Israeli violence, and you know there are multiple companies on your list, a first step could be to mobilize support for a policy that would prevent investments and procurement contracts with companies that are complicit in human rights violations anywhere. It is essential to build an intersectional campaign around this and push for an end to investments/contracts that include human rights violations in general, not just in Palestine. The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights can be helpful to you here. They explain in detail that “states’ international human rights law obligations require that they respect, protect, and fulfill the human rights of individuals within their territory and/or jurisdiction. This includes the duty to protect against human rights abuse by third parties, including business enterprises.”
As a broad example, please see AFSC’s language for a human rights investment policy, which includes weapon companies, military contractors, fossil fuel companies, and other industries that mainstream socially responsible investors have been avoiding. Most importantly, it also contains an innovative human rights screen - a universal conduct-based screen that examines corporate involvement in state violence and human rights violations.
Other examples:
