Barclays faces yet more direct action over its propping up of Israel’s crimes

Thousands of people have vowed not to bank with Barclays until it ends its complicity with Israel‘s genocide and apartheid. On Thursday 21 March, over 1,000 people cancelled their accounts with the criminal bank – coming on top of thousands more than have already done so.

Barclays: end the complicity with Israel

UK banking giant Barclays is once again the target of mass boycott campaign, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). More than 1,000 people closed their accounts on 21 March in protest at its bankrolling of Israel’s genocidal attack on Palestinians.

Thousands more have signed a pledge never to bank with Barclays while it remains complicit with Israel’s apartheid system. The bank faced a similar boycott campaign over its financial support for South African apartheid before eventually being forced to divest in 1986. You can join the boycott here.

Barclays Bank holds over £1bn in shares and provides over £3bn in loans and underwriting to nine companies whose weapons, components, and military technology are being used by Israel in its genocidal attacks on Palestinians.

This includes General Dynamics, which produces the gun systems that arm the fighter jets used by Israel to bombard Gaza, and Elbit Systems, which produces armoured drones, munitions, and artillery weapons used by the Israeli military.

By providing investment and financial services to these arms companies, Barclays is facilitating the provision of weapons and technology for Israel’s attacks on Palestinians.

Nothing changes

This mass account closure day falls on the UN Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It is commemorated on the anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, during which South African police killed 69 black protesters demonstrating against apartheid laws.

During this time, Barclays faced a sustained boycott campaign over its financial support for South African apartheid before eventually being forced to withdraw in 1986.

Campaigners say that, once again, Barclays will be forced to end its complicity in apartheid:

🚨Stop Banking on Genocide – 21 March@BarclaysUK bankrolls Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza. We're calling on all those who bank with Barclays to close their accounts with them on 21 March until they stop.

Pledge to close your account here: https://t.co/uCa2mtggCF pic.twitter.com/35nKDDjFT3

— PSC (@PSCupdates) March 20, 2024

This second mass account closure day is part of an on-going campaign aimed at highlighting Barclays toxic banking policies that make it complicit with Israel’s war crimes. Barclays will continue be the target of social media campaigns, pickets, and sit ins until it is forced to prioritise humanity over profit.

Boycott Barclays

Ben Jamal, PSC director, said :

More than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip, in what the International Court of Justice has accepted is a plausible case of genocide.

UN experts have warned that Gaza is facing imminent famine due to Israel’s blockade and attacks. To its eternal shame, Barclays is complicit, financing the companies that supply Israel with the weapons and military technology it uses to carry out its attacks.

Barclays was forced to stop supporting apartheid in South Africa before, and we’ll force it to stop supporting Israel’s genocide and apartheid now.

Featured image via PSC