Derry council does not have Israeli goods policy despite support for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS)

The local authority confirmed the motion does not have any such policy despite a motion in support of the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign passed during the 2014-2019 mandate of Derry City and Strabane District Council.

The Council recently received a Freedom of Information request regarding the BDS campaign which asked ‘do you have any policies on procuring goods/services from Israel/Israeli?’

In a response, dated March 23, 2023, the Council stated: “None, however the following motion was passed by the council on September 29, 2016 - ‘That this Council affirms its support for the Palestinian people, That this Council affirms its support for the BDS campaign, And that this Council investigates the most practical means of implementing this BDS Campaign.”

The local authority was also asked if it kept records of Israeli goods or goods from Israel that had been purchased.

“The council does not keep records of which goods are purchased from individual countries or the country of origin of goods,” the Council responded.

DC&SDC became the first local authority in the North to back the BDS campaign when it passed a motion table by Sinn Féin Councillor Christopher Jackson in 2016.

A further motion, also table by Councillor Jackson in February 2019, proposed that the Council “affirms its support for the Palestinian people”, and “that this Council affirms its support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign”.

Council backs Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign in support of Palestine