Sydney City Council mulls divisive ‘BDS lite’ policy amid rising anti-Semitism

One of Australia’s most wealthy and influential councils is poised to implement a ‘politically, not legally’ motivated ‘BDS lite’ policy in what Jewish leaders say is a divisive singling out of Israel.

A pro-Palestine rally outside Sydney Town Hall in February. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

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One of Australia’s wealthiest and most influential councils is poised to implement a “politically, not legally” motivated “BDS lite” policy in what Jewish leaders called a divisive singling out of Israel amid rampant anti-Semitism.

At the City of Sydney’s June 2024 meeting, council endorsed a Greens-led motion to explore scrapping its contracts with Israel-linked companies, including a printing agreement with Hewlett Packard.

Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore backed the motion, which compelled a review of the council’s contracts and how best to implement a policy, while renewing her support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.

That report’s recommended policy will be voted on at council’s Monday meeting and would force the council to compare any new contracts or investments with a UN database of companies allegedly involved in, or benefiting from, business in the occupied Palestinian territories.

However, Israeli ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon called the proposal “outrageous”, strongly condemning the “reckless” policy that sought to “isolate and discriminate” against Israel and its citizens. “We’ve seen rampant anti-Semitism in Sydney … It (the proposal) is exactly the same (as that) and it has to end,” he said.

The council has no contracts with any of that register’s almost 100 companies but it would – if the measure is voted through – “monitor” that list and “review” any new investments with that database.

The report states such a position can damage the city’s image but is “within our risk appetite” and relying on the UN’s list, which falls under that body’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, is a “considered” approach. But it suggests there may be “legal implications” if refusing a company on that basis breaches the Local Government Act by not providing best value for ratepayers.

Jewish leaders have labelled the BDS movement as anti-Semitic and say any policy – including Sydney’s limited scope strategy – that singles out only Israel is motivated by “political, not legal” considerations.

City of Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore. Picture: Simon Bullard

“It is extraordinary that of all the real and incontestable human rights abuses occurring in the world, the council has focused on the alleged ‘illegal occupation of the settlements in Palestinian territories’,” Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim said.

“This clumsily worded policy reflects the naivety of the council in dealing with international issues that are beyond its competence. No international court has ever issued a binding ruling on these questions and the council’s policy is clearly political, not legal.”

Mr Wertheim said the council choosing to associate itself with the “disgraced anti-Semitic” BDS movement was disappointing, as was its refusal to join other Sydney local government areas last week in a mayoral roundtable to combat anti-Semitism.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said the council was choosing to “waste ratepayers’ time and money” on foreign policy it had “no expertise in and cannot influence”.

“This is a slap in the face to the Jewish community at a time when we’re experiencing an unprecedented wave of anti-Semitism, including in Sydney,” he said.

“Ratepayers’ money has been misused to produce a report that makes no findings but gives extremists on council the opportunity to continue their campaign of division.”

While the initial motion was not tabled by the lord mayor – although she did support it – its re-emergence comes after months of anti-Semitic attacks across Sydney and the city’s most senior Jewish leader, Great Synagogue chief minister Rabbi Benjamin Elton, saying last week that Ms Moore had been silent on the issue.

On Tuesday Ms Moore met the synagogue’s leadership team in a closed-doors meeting. Synagogue president David Lewis expressed to Ms Moore the congregation’s disappointment with the proposed policy, urging her to vote against it and lamenting how the Middle East’s only democracy was being singled out.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim. Picture: Thomas Lisson

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip. Picture: John Appleyard

A spokesman for Ms Moore said all councils must adhere to restrictions on investing funds and procuring services, and that the City of Sydney had existing policies that barred investment in products “associated with environmentally and socially harmful activities … including the abuse of human and labour rights”.

“The lord mayor is considering the report recommendations and working with councillors on amendments to ensure the council’s position is reflected in the final report,” he said.

Last June, Ms Moore said the council had consistently advocated for a lasting ceasefire, the safe return of hostages and negotiations aimed at an enduring peace.

“If the city’s voice in this campaign can put additional pressure towards a ceasefire and an end to the humanitarian crisis, then I think we should carefully review our investments and suppliers,” she said.

At the time, Greens councillors cited the council’s contract with Hewlett Packard, which has long been targeted by the BDS campaign but is not on the UN list and has said it operated in “strict accordance” with laws.