A call for Ceredigion County Council to stress it does not wish to be involved in companies connected with Israel during the ongoing Gaza crisis through its pension fund has been backed by councillors.

A notice of motion before Ceredigion County Council’s, proposed by Cllr Endaf Edwards, initially seconded by Cllr Wyn Evans, but seconded at the meeting by Cllr Catrin M S Davies, said: “The ongoing and deeply concerning conflict in Gaza has led to significant loss of innocent life and widespread humanitarian suffering.

“Despite a temporary ceasefire in January 2025, hostilities have resumed, and conditions on the ground continue to deteriorate.”

It added: “The Dyfed Pension Fund has confirmed that approximately £1.5 million – around 0.04 per cent of its total assets – is directly invested in companies based in Israel.

“This council believes: Public sector pension fund investments in Ceredigion and across Wales should not support war crimes, human rights violations, or breaches of international law, regardless of financial returns.

“While the Dyfed Pension Fund Committee operates independently of Ceredigion County Council’s political structures, council has the right to express its views on matters of ethical concern.”

It asked five points: a commitment to ethical governance and global justice; to express it does not wish to be associated with companies potentially complicit in war crimes or human rights violations; to write to the Welsh Pension Partnership, conveying these concerns and requesting a review of current investments; to request that the Dyfed Pension Fund and Welsh Pension Partnership strengthen their ethical investment policies; and to call on the Dyfed Pension Fund Committee and Welsh Pension Partnership to regularly review and publicly report on progress toward divestment from unethical holdings.

At the meeting, Cllr Edwards outlined the background to the crisis, saying the conflict had the characteristics of genocide with the ongoing famine in Gaza.

“People would sleep better knowing our money is not linked to this, this is a way to show we do not support this,” he told members.

A counter proposal, calling for the first and last of the five points only to be included was put forward by Cllr Elizabeth Evans, along with a similar amendment proposed by Cllr Hugh Hughes.

She described the 2023 Hamas attack and the situation in Gaza as “abhorrent,” but said removing the £1.5m investment could harm the livelihoods of citizens in Israel, including Arabs, in businesses that may not be involved in the conflict in any way.

Cllr Alun Williams added that the values the council holds dear shouldn’t end at its borders: “How can I report as a Cabinet member whilst turning a blind eye to the bombing of children in other areas?”

However, Cllr Marc Davies, who raised historic persecution of the Jewish people including the rise of antisemitism and the holocaust along with the 2023 “terrorist organisation” Hamas attack, said he wouldn’t support the notice, calling it “political grandstanding and taking the high moral ground”.

Cllr Hughes’ amendment was defeated by 26 votes to three, with Cllr Evans’ amendment then defeated by 19 votes to 13.

The original motion was then passed by 20 votes to 11, with two abstentions.