Shetland Islands Council has proposed a motion to investigate its ‘financial holdings in companies linked to the Israeli Government’.
Councillors confirmed their support of the urgent notice of motion in a meeting yesterday, during which Cllr Dennis Leask read the motion proposed by Cllr Alex Armitage.
The motion read: ‘Shetland Islands Council notes the recent finding by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.’
The local authority has instructed its Director of Finance to investigate its holdings in the companies and ‘report back to a subsequent meeting of the Shetland Islands Council with a proposal as to how the Council may divest from these assets.’
With Cllr Armitage absent from the meeting, the motion was moved by Cllr Dennis Leask and seconded by Cllr Stephen Leask.