The group’s co-founder, Helen Mowatt, claimed councils do have the legal power to divest and that this misunderstanding “must be widely disseminated” among community groups, campaigners and communities.
Speitan claimed the east London council’s investments helped sustain what she described as “the brutal Israeli apartheid state” and accused the authority of participating in “the genocide of our people and family”.
She said the council’s concession confirmed it “always had the power to divest”, rejecting a statement by communities secretary Steve Reed that councils risked legal action by divesting.
In January, Reed warned Labour-run local authorities that they should “stay out” of foreign conflicts and that they could face legal action if they pursued boycotts against Israel.
Greenwich Palestine Alliance has reportedly been pushing Greenwich Council to make an immediate, full and permanent divestment from Israel since 2023 – funds which, according to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, are worth more than £61.8 million in companies with Israeli interests.
In December 2024, Greenwich Council’s pension panel was reported by Greenwich Wire to have agreed to review its investment policy following lobbying from residents and campaigners.
In September last year, the panel voted to consult scheme members on a revised policy that included a new human rights section, the local paper said.
Greenwich Palestine Alliance said the proposals ignored its demand for full divestment from Israel and were “substantially watered down” compared to earlier commitments.
Activist Lubna Speitan of the Greenwich Palestine Alliance (Credit: Instagram/Greenwich Palestine Alliance)[Missing Credit]
Speitan argued the council failed to act in line with its constitution, compliance statement and the Local Government Pension Scheme (Management and Investment of Funds) Regulations 2016.
She also claimed the council did not conduct a lawful consultation or consider alternatives, and improperly relied on an investment strategy containing an unlawful instruction stating the fund “cannot exclude investments to pursue boycotts, divestment and sanctions against foreign nations and UK defence industries”.
A High Court judge will decide whether to grant permission for a judicial review.
The council is now reported to be consulting employees on a draft responsible investment policy.
A spokesperson for Greenwich Council said: “We continue to share the deep concern about the ongoing situation in Gaza and Israel, where the devastating loss of life has been unimaginable. We are unable to comment any further due to ongoing legal proceedings, of which we await the outcome."
