Oxford University college exposed as having £1.1m of investments linked to Palestine ethnic cleansing

A college at Oxford University – All Souls College – is subject to a formal complaint over its £1.1m worth of investments in companies that are actively involved in illegal Israeli settlements.

All Souls College: investing in Israeli apartheid

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) has lodged a formal complaint with the Charity Commission regarding All Souls College, a constituent college of Oxford University, regarding its business interests in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The complaint concerns £1,121,731.57 worth of investments maintained by All Souls College, revealed in a series of freedom of information (FOI) requests in July and August 2024.

The investments are in four companies that are included in the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights’ database of business enterprises involved in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The complaint alleges that these specific investments are in violation of both domestic and international law, contravening UK Government policy and the July 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with regards to the illegality of Israeli settlements under international law.

All Souls College is registered as a UK Charity under #1138057, meaning that it is subject to charity rules and is regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice issued an Advisory Opinion making it clear that States (and their public bodies) must prevent investments that further entrench the illegal situation created by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The seven-figure investment portfolio is split across four companies complicit in Israeli settlements, including £239,725.29 in Airbnb, £613,613.16 in Booking Holdings, £7,761.18 in Expedia Group, and £260,631.94 in Motorola Solutions Inc.

ICJP calls on the Charity Commission to investigate, as a matter of urgency, All Souls’ investments. Following an investigation, ICJP calls for the Charity Commission to take appropriate action including, but not limited to, providing guidance regarding charity investment in companies operating in illegal settlements.

Money above duty

ICJP Legal Officer Mira Naseer said:

The International Court of Justice has been crystal clear on the illegality of Israeli settlements. Not that there was before, but there can be absolutely no excuse now for a British educational institution to remain financially complicit in illegal settlements.

This is yet another example of a university or college putting their finances above their educational duties and the Charity Commission must step in and provide guidance to charities that are making such investments.

Featured image via the Canary