Barclays to Withdraw from “Israel” Bond Auction amid Pro-Palestine Backlash

By Staff

The Financial Times revealed that the British banking giant Barclays is planning to withdraw from new “Israel” government bond auctions amid pressure from pro-Palestine activists.

The British newspaper said the bank is trying to address criticism of its investments in “Israel”, which have been put under the spotlight following the start of “Israel's” aggression on Gaza.

Barclays will be withdrawing from the purchase of future “Israeli” bond offerings, but will continue acting as a "primary dealer", which helps to sell the bonds.

Thursday's report of a withdrawal does not mean a complete end to involvement by Barclays in the “Israel” bond market.

Barclays has for years been the target of pro-Palestinian activism over its investments inside the apartheid entity and its ties to the arms industry

In June, pro-Palestine activists threw rocks and sprayed red paint on 20 branches of the bank over its ties to arms firms supplying “Israel” in its aggression on Gaza.

Protest group Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the targeting of the buildings, adding that it worked in coordination with the climate group Shut the System.

The group said it “aims to halt the Palestinian genocide by undermining suppliers of weapons to the Israeli military… along with financial companies involved with these weapons suppliers".

In May, several Palestinian solidarity organizations published a report stating that Barclays has £2bn [$2.48bn] of investments in companies involved in supplying arms to “Israel”.