The City of Canterbury-Bankstown Council has passed a motion to review council investments and suppliers in accordance with the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement on Tuesday evening.
The motion was moved by Labor Councillor Christopher Cahill to “review of Council’s investments and links to companies, if any, that are complicit in human rights violations on the Palestinian people, including the illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian Territories and the supply of weapons”.
Cahill’s motion emphasised a review into “suppliers” as well as “investment and contractual obligations”, and that it is “in line with what other likeminded councils are doing and in line with the ideology of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS).”
Organisers from City of Canterbury-Bankstown for Palestine also held a rally outside the council building.
Three members of the public spoke to the necessity of carrying this motion forward and despite attempts to make amendments to the motion, the motion ultimately passed.
Votes against the motion consisted of Liberal Councillors Charlie Ishac and Charbel Abouraad, Independent councillor Barbara Coorey and Councillor Jessie Nguyen.
The timing of the motion is significant after the International Court of Justice ruled on 19 July that Israel’s “continued presence in the Occupied Palestine Territory is unlawful” and should come to an end.
This advisory opinion came after a 2022 request by the UN General Assembly and also made it clear that all states must “consider the precise modalities and further action required” to bring an end to the occupation, and not “render aid or assistance in maintaining” it.
The City of Sydney Council passed a similar BDS motion to review its investments and suppliers prior to the ICJ ruling last month in their June Council meeting.
A BDS motion to review investments and suppliers will be presented at the next Inner West Council meeting on August 13, and a rally by Inner West for Palestine will be held outside the Ashfield Service Centre from 5:30pm.