Birmingham City Council could withdraw from Israel-linked investments

Councillors in Birmingham have voted to pursue withdrawing from any financial investments linked to Israel, following a motion backed by independent councillor Nosheen Khalid. The proposal, carried in council, also calls for a six-month review of investments made by Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands Pension Fund on human-rights grounds, with options to cut ties. Khalid said “where money goes, responsibility follows”. The decision comes amid the Gaza war, where a ceasefire entered force in October 2025 but Israel has continued air strikes almost daily. The Hamas-run health ministry cites more than 1,500 deaths after the ceasefire, and over 74,000 killed in Gaza since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack. The move follows broader tensions inside Birmingham’s ruling coalition, including disputes over a Green Party motion describing Zionism as racism.