Palestine Solidarity Campaign Analysis Highlights Growing Political Support in Wales
New analysis from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) indicates that nearly 40 per cent of newly elected Members of the Senedd support the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, including a majority of members within the newly formed Welsh Government Cabinet.
According to the figures released by PSC, 36 of the 96 Members of the Senedd (MSs) signed the organisation’s “Senedd Pledge for Palestine,” which includes support for BDS measures aimed at Israel. Among those who signed are 33 members from Plaid Cymru, both Green Party MSs, and Labour MS Mike Hedges.
The list also includes Deputy First Minister Sioned Williams MS, six additional Cabinet members, and two deputy ministers, signalling what PSC described as a significant shift in Welsh political support for Palestinian solidarity initiatives.
The findings follow last week’s Senedd election, during which 141 candidates signed the pledge before polling day. Those candidates included 57 from Plaid Cymru, 49 from the Green Party, nine Liberal Democrats, seven Labour candidates, and seven independents.
BDS Movement Continues to Gain International Political Attention
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement was launched in 2005 by Palestinian civil society organisations. The campaign calls on international supporters to apply economic and political pressure on Israel through boycotts, divestment strategies, and sanctions until it ends what campaigners describe as occupation and apartheid against Palestinians.
The movement has frequently drawn comparisons to the global anti-apartheid campaign against South Africa and has maintained a visible presence across England and Wales over the past several years.
PSC’s Senedd pledge asks elected members to take “all appropriate steps” to uphold Palestinian rights, oppose alleged Israeli crimes including genocide and apartheid, and ensure that the Welsh Government does not contribute financially or politically to such actions, including through support for BDS initiatives.
Concerns Raised Over Welsh Government Funding and Arms Links
The issue has also drawn attention to previous Welsh Government financial support linked to defence manufacturing.
Last year, reports emerged that the Welsh Government had awarded a £500,000 grant to a company involved in supplying components for Israel’s F-35 fighter jet programme. The disclosure sparked criticism after the then-First Minister reportedly claimed otherwise.
The F-35 aircraft have been used extensively in Israel’s military operations in Gaza. PSC and other advocacy organisations argue that these operations amount to genocide, citing findings by the United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry.
The controversy has intensified scrutiny over whether devolved governments should review financial relationships with companies connected to military supply chains linked to ongoing conflicts.
Campaigners Call for Further Action from Welsh Government
Bethan Sayed, Co-Chair of Palestine Solidarity Campaign Cymru, said the level of support among newly elected Senedd members represented a major political milestone.
PSC Cymru Urges Immediate Review of Financial Ties
“The scale of support for the Senedd Pledge for Palestine is a watershed moment for Welsh politics. Almost 40% of our new Senedd Members have sent a clear message: the people of Wales will not sit idly by while the UK Government fuels the machinery of apartheid and genocide. This shows that Palestine was on the ballot paper, and the new Welsh Government must act decisively.
“We are calling on the Welsh Government to immediately audit all financial ties to companies complicit in Israel’s illegal occupation and ensure that no more Welsh taxpayers’ money, such as the £500,000 grant to the F-35 supply chain, is used to facilitate the obliteration of Gaza.
“But the Senedd’s responsibility doesn’t stop at our borders. The Welsh Government must use its unique voice to demand that the UK Government end its arms export licences to Israel. Wales has a proud tradition of internationalism; it is time for our leaders to match the moral clarity of the Welsh public and turn that tradition into decisive action.”
Similar Palestine Pledges Emerging Across Britain
The Welsh campaign forms part of a broader political movement across Britain connected to Palestinian solidarity initiatives.
PSC noted that more than 2,200 council candidates in England signed a similar pledge ahead of recent local elections. The organisation also stated that more than 1,300 sitting councillors across Britain had already endorsed comparable commitments.
Supporters of the campaign argue that growing political backing reflects increasing public concern regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the UK’s relationship with Israel.
The issue remains politically sensitive across the UK, with supporters framing BDS as a peaceful accountability mechanism, while critics argue that such campaigns unfairly target Israel and risk damaging diplomatic and economic relations.
The latest Senedd figures nonetheless suggest that support for Palestinian solidarity measures now holds a more prominent position within Welsh political discourse, particularly among Plaid Cymru and Green Party representatives.