Hertsmere Borough Council Leader Cllr Jeremy Newmark has written to Cllr Steve Jarvis, Leader of Hertfordshire County Council, urging the County Council to reject a petition calling for divestment from companies linked to Israel at its meeting next week.

In his letter, Cllr Newmark warned that the petition “risks embedding a deeply divisive debate within the council’s democratic structures” and could have serious consequences for “community cohesion, pension fund performance, and the wellbeing of Hertfordshire’s Jewish residents.”

The letter highlights that the Hertfordshire Pension Fund operates under strict fiduciary duties and that any move to divest from major global corporations would “demonstrably harm members’ financial security.”

Cllr Newmark also emphasised the impact on Hertfordshire’s large Jewish community, particularly in Borehamwood and Elstree where one in five residents is Jewish. He warned that “advancing this divisive divestment campaign now demonstrates callous disregard for Hertfordshire’s Jewish residents experiencing heightened anxiety and insecurity,” citing the rise in antisemitic incidents since the October 2023 Hamas attacks.

He further criticised the absence of an Equalities Impact Assessment in the County Council report, describing it as “a stunning omission given the current climate just weeks after the Manchester synagogue jihadi terror attack.”

The letter calls on the County Council to:

1. Reject the petition outright, making clear Hertfordshire will not adopt policies that harm community cohesion.

2. Reaffirm the Pensions Committee’s independence in making investment decisions based on financial prudence.

3. Stand in solidarity with Jewish communities, ensuring the Council does not lend legitimacy to campaigns that could isolate or intimidate them.

4. Promote genuine peacebuilding and dialogue, rather than divisive international campaigns.

Cllr Newmark concluded by urging county councillors to focus on “highways, SEND provision and the environment – not importing divisive international conflicts into pension fund management.”