A briefing on West Midlands Pension Fund investments linked to the Israeli arms trade:
The West Midlands Pension Fund is the local authority pension fund for all council employees in the West Midlands; Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, Sandwell, Birmingham, Coventry and Solihull.
It also works in partnership with over 800 participating allied public service related employers to support pension saving providing benefits (deferred wages) to 340,000 people who provide public services across the West Midlands.
Research* using freedom of information and reliable sources by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign has found that the West Midlands Pension Fund invest in the arms industry supplying technology & weapon systems to the Israeli army with the following companies:
BAE Systems is one of the world’s largest arms producers, with sales of $24
billion to military customers in 2020, 97% of its total sales.
The company is headquartered in UK and has a large number of staff in both the
UK and US. Its sales are dominated by three markets: the US, which accounted for
43% of BAE’s sales between 2017-2021, the UK (20%), and Saudi Arabia (14%).
BAE’s portfolio includes combat aircraft, warships, tanks, armoured vehicles,
artillery, missiles, small arms ammunition, cyber & intelligence, and nuclear missile
submarines. BAE also produces 13-15% of the value of the US F-35 stealth fighter
aircraft, which has been sold to Israel among many others, and has been ordered
by the UAE.
In a press briefing in November 6 2013, Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral
Daniel Hagari confirmed F-35s were being used to bomb Gaza.
Boeing (USA) designs, manufactures, and sells military weapons, including
attack helicopters, combat aircraft, missiles, bombs, battlefield laser systems,
and intelligence and surveillance systems. It also manufactures aircraft for
the commercial market. As of 2022, it is the world’s third-largest military
company, with $35 billion in annual revenue, 56% of which derives from its
defence sector.
Chemring (UK). Chemrings’ military sales account for around 90% of its
total sales and it ranks 68th in the top 100 arms-producing companies in the
world.” Between 2008 and 2021 Chemring Group has been granted 19
licenses by the UK government for the export of military goods to Israel.
General Dynamics (USA) designs. Manufactures, and sells military weapons
and equipment, including armoured fighting and robotic combat vehicles,
tanks, artillery systems, aircraft guns, and cybersecurity systems. As of 2022,
it is the world’s fifth–largest military company, with $38.5 billion in annual
revenue, 80% of which derives from its defence sector.
Honeywell produce control and sensing information technology. According to
Kairos Response Honeywell “supplies components for bombs Israel has
used against the Palestinian people and supplies engines for Israeli jet
aircraft trainer fleet.” Further, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Honeywell
have signed a Teaming Agreement (TA) to introduce to the market of airborne
avionics a jointly developed turnkey GPS Anti-Jam navigation system.
Leonardo, (Italy) formally Finmeccanica, is an Italian defence and Arms
trade, currently the world’s ninth largest Arms trade. Its products include
military helicopters, fighter aircraft, drones, missiles, naval guns, artillery and
armoured combat vehicles. It has exported arms to a number of oppressive
regimes, including Israel. AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Italian firm
Leonardo, makes components for Apache attack helicopters used by Israel in attacks on the besieged Gaza. Defence for Children International-Palestine have documented how at least 13 children were killed by missiles fired from Apache helicopters during Israel’s 2014 attack on Gaza. In addition, Israel’s Defence Ministry has purchased seven training helicopters from Leonardo.
Lockheed Martin (USA) is a long-time supplier of the Israeli army, having
supplied them since 1971. They are notorious for the production of F-16
fighter jets, which have been used in deadly Israeli attacks in Palestine and
Lebanon. For example, Israel’s 2006 invasion of Southern Lebanon involved
wide use of F-16 fighter jets over 1,000 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians,
were killed. After the attacks, HRW commented that “Israel’s frequent failure
to abide by a fundamental obligation of the laws of war: the duty to distinguish
between military targets, which can be legitimately attacked, and civilians,
who are not subject to attack. Lockheed Martin weapons played a major role
in Israel’s 2008-2009 and 2014 assaults on Gaza. An extensive investigation
by Amnesty International into Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009, which killed
1,394 Palestinians, including 345 children, found that Israel’s attacks using
Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets, Apache helicopters and Hellfire missiles
often failed to distinguish between civilians and combatants. In some cases there was even evidence that civilians and civilian spaces were deliberately targeted.
Meggitt (UK) has supplied air data systems found in gunships of Apache
attack helicopters. These helicopters played a prominent role in Israel’s 2006
Invasion of Southern Lebanon, which killed nearly 2000 civilians. Defence for
Children International-Palestine have documented how at least 13 children
were killed by missiles fired from Apache helicopters during Israel’s 2014
attack on Gaza. Has a factory in Wood Lane,Coventry, B24 9QJ.
Raytheon (UK). According to War on Want’s 2017 ‘Deadly Investments’
report Raytheon produces bunker buster bombs, which have been used by
Israel to target civilian homes during its 2014 assault on Gaza. In 2014,
Israel’s aerial bombardment and ground invasion of the Gaza Strip led to the
deaths of over 2,200 Palestinian civilians, nearly a quarter of them children.
Rolls-Royce (UK) Is another supplier of the US F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
programme. F-35 fighter jets have been used on numerous occasions in
Israel’s attacks on besieged the Gaza strip, including in May 2021.
In 2014, the year of Israel’s aerial bombardment and ground invasion of
Gaza, which killed over 2,200 civilians, nearly a quarter of them children,
Rolls-Royce was granted export licenses for engines for military aircrafts to
Israel.
Smiths Group (UK) is a British headquartered engineering firm.
Smiths Group products include connectors used in fighting vehicles,
unmanned vehicles and avionics systems.They have applied for a number of
military export licenses to Israel. Between 2008 and 2021 Smiths Group
applied for 32 licenses to export military goods to Israel. They have supplied
a number of components to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lighting II programme.
The F-35 Lightning II was first used by Israel in 2018, and has been used in
Israel’s May 2021 aerial bombardment of Gaza.
Textron. According to Israel Defence, “Established in 1923, Textron Inc. is a
multi-industry company with an international network consisting of aircraft,
defence, industrial and finance businesses and companies aimed towards
providing clients with relevant products, solutions and services around the
world.” They have entered into a teaming agreement with Aeronautics
Defense Systems Ltd. of Israel, who have supplied the IDF with drones used
to patrol the skies of besieged Gaza.
Thales, a French IT and arms company. Jointly with Elbit Systems, Thales is
in a partnership with the British Ministry of Defence, producing the armoured
Watchkeeper WK 450 Drone, based on the Israeli Hermes 450 which is in
regular use over the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including in Israel’s
deadly assaults on the besieged Gaza Strip.
Ultra Electronics (UK) is listed as the world’s 95th largest Arms trade. They
have been identified as UK-based supplier of components to the F-35 fighter
jet, which has been used by Israel in aerial bombardments of the besieged
Gaza strip. Moreover, it works jointly with Israeli owned arms manufacturer
Rafael, and has applied for numerous military export licenses to Israel.
*Source: https://lgpsdivest.org/lgps-investments/
Are you are a fund member? – If anyone can get to ask why the fund in person is investing in genocide try and get to one of these events. You don’t have to book, just turn up see: https://www.wmpfonline.com/news/tea-and-teach-events-2024
Who Sits on Pensions Committee? https://www.wmpfonline.com/about-us/governance/pension-committee
City of Wolverhampton Council Members
Councillor M Jaspal (Chair) (Labour)
Councillor T Singh (Vice Chair) (Labour)
Councillor P Singh (Conservative)
Councillor P Appleby (Conservative)
Councillor C Hyatt (Labour)
Councillor J Dehar (Labour)
Councillor J Francis (Labour)
Councillor A Mattu (Labour)
Councillor Z Russell (Labour)
Councillor H Singh (Labour)
West Midlands District Members
Councillor L Kaye Solihull (Conservative)
Councillor A Lees Dudley (Conservative)
Councillor L Davies Sandwell (Labour)
Councillor B Singh Coventry (Labour)
Councillor M Locke Birmingham City Council (Labour)
Trade Union Observers
Mr Martin Clift (Unite)
Mr Malcolm Cantello (Unison)
Mr Ian Smith (Unite)
Mrs Janice Wadrup (GMB)
Model letter to the councillors:
(please cut and paste and adapt as necessary)
Dear Cllr.
I am writing to you in your capacity as the representative for [Birmingham,
Wolverhampton, Coventry City Council, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall – delete
as appropriate] on the Wolverhampton Pension Committee.
Israel’s ongoing assault on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has killed tens of
thousands of Palestinians – almost half of them children. Aid agencies continue to
report a rapidly deteriorating situation with children now dying needlessly of
malnutrition and starvation.
In January, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest court in the world,
handed down an interim ruling affirming there is plausible evidence Israel is
committing genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. As a
State Party to the Genocide Convention, the UK has a binding obligation to employ
all means reasonably available to prevent and deter further genocidal acts.
Stemming from this obligation, Councils must refrain from procuring from, or
investing funds they administer in, companies enabling plausibly genocidal acts.
This includes arms companies supplying weapons and military technology used by
Israel in its relentless attacks on Palestinians, and financial institutions, like
Barclays, which finance these arms companies.
The fall of the Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill that
attempted to restrict the right of public bodies to take ethical investment and
spending decisions means that Councils remain free to take human rights and other
ethical considerations when making financial decisions, and I hope that you will do
so.
In December 2017, the Pension Committee took a principled stand and agreed to
exclude companies such as the Hanwha Corporation who manufactured Cluster
Bombs in the light of the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
The range of arms company investments expose the fund to possible breaches of
the Genocide Convention for companies supplying arms to the Israeli military.
The West Midlands Pension Fund states on it’s web site that it recognises ‘the
breath of human rights issues that exists across our borders, such as the illegal
settlement of Palestinian land’ but, to date, there is no evidence that the fund has
made any approach to relevant companies.
The fund’s Social Responsibility policy states that ‘There may be certain
circumstances where exclusions may be applied’ and the Genocide Convention is
one of them.
Given the urgency and acute suffering in Gaza, I am asking you to:
Familiarise yourself with WMPF investments currently being made with arms
companies manufacturing weapons systems (see briefing attached).
Familiarise yourself with relevant aspects of international law.
Agree that the necessity of fiduciary duty does not have to conflict with the funds
social responsibility objectives and obligations for Palestinian Human Rights
Agree that, fiduciary duties aside, the UK has ‘third state’ responsibilities under the
Genocide Convention and should take measures to ensure the Council ends all
support for further genocidal acts. This includes the immediate divestment of any
funds administered by the Council, including Local Government Pension Scheme
funds, from companies complicit in Israel’s attacks on Palestinians, such as arms
companies supplying Israel with weapons and military technology.
At the next Pension Committee, call on the fund to conduct urgent Enhanced
Human Rights Due Diligence with all companies effected and take a targeted
approach towards the worse offenders to exclude: BAE Systems, Raytheon and Barclays Bank.
I look forward to hearing from you about actions you have taken and ask if I can
discuss this matter in person or online before the next Pension Committee on the 19 June.
Yours Sincerely
Member of WMPF yes/No
Resident [include your post code]