Swansea council slams pro-Israel group’s legal action as ‘attack on democracy’

Swansea Council leaders have “rubbished claims” by pro-Israel advocacy group Jewish Human Rights Watch that the council has abandoned a motion passed in 2010

Council Leader Rob Stewart said that “recent statements by the Jewish Human Rights Watch misrepresent entirely the motion passed by council in 2010 and the situation now. The motion has absolutely nothing to do with Jewish human rights or with any issues of race or religion.”

According to Stewart, “Jewish Human Rights Watch has recently instigated a potentially costly legal process in order to try and get the council to rescind a motion from 2010 which it disagrees with. That is an attack on democracy. The council is a democratic organisation and as democratically elected politicians we believe in free speech and freedom of expression. The motion was correctly submitted, debated and voted upon – that is how democracy works.”

The councillor also pointed out that the council motion had no bearing on the council procurement policy. “This is evidenced in the fact that non-commercial considerations are ignored during the council’s procurement processes for goods and services.”

He added: “The Council had no option other than to respond to these untrue and unfair claims but will not be able to make any further comment due to on-going legal proceedings.”

Jewish Human Rights Watch, who have also pursued legal action against Leicester City Council, declared in early December that Swansea City Council had performed a ‘U-turn’ in response to their legal claims, but did not give any details.

Then in January, the group boasted that they had ‘made history’, and that Swansea Council had “offered to rescind its BDS motion.” The press release has since been removed from its website.

Responding to the latest developments, Jewish Human Rights Watch has now vowed to pursue a Judicial Review of Swansea City Council’s 2010 motion.