Aug 14 (Reuters) - Barclays drew up plans to pull out of future Israeli government bond auctions as it reviewed its exposure to the country under pressure from pro-Palestinian activists, the Financial Times reported, opens new tab on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Barclays has also faced criticism for providing financial services to defence firms that produce equipment used by the Israeli Defence Force.
Separately, activists had disrupted Lloyds Banking Group’s (LLOY.L), opens new tab annual shareholder meeting in May, protesting against its alleged provision of financial services to defence firms linked to violence in the Middle East.
There’s no point of mentioning it other than undeserved positive PR until such plans are actually implemented and stay implemented, at the very least until a settlement that provides for an equitable, permanent, two-state solution is mutually agreed upon by both Israel and Palestine.
It’s true this might not be more than a PR stunt as it is just a plan for now. But the fact that divesting from israel is now a “PR stunt” is an incredible development.
It used to be PR suicide to do this. Let’s hope more companies start “PR stunting”.
