Why Focus on Banks?
Banks Are Gatekeepers of Power
Banks don’t just hold our money — they decide where that money flows next. Through investments, loans, and financial services, banks finance companies and projects that shape the world we live in.
In the context of Palestine, many major banks:
- Provide funds to arms manufacturers supplying weapons used in conflict
- Finance companies operating illegal settlements on Palestinian land
- Support corporations involved in surveillance and control of Palestinian communities
These financial connections enable ongoing human rights violations, apartheid policies, and occupation.
The Scale of Financial Complicity
For UK Muslims alone, tens of billions of pounds pass through banks each year. This gives us enormous collective power to influence change — or to unintentionally support injustice.
Because banks act as financial gatekeepers, boycotting complicit banks is a powerful way to disrupt the systems of oppression.
Why Don’t We Talk About It?
Banking complicity is often overlooked or avoided because:
🔍 Widespread complicity — across individuals, institutions, businesses, and political actors — creates a reluctance to challenge these financial ties openly.
🔍 The financial system is complex and opaque, making it difficult for most people to trace how money supports injustice.
🔍 Many people don’t realise the connection between their banking choices and human rights violations — especially in the context of Palestine.
🔍 Banking is often seen as technical or neutral, rather than a moral or political issue that deserves attention.
🔍 While many institutions list their banks in public reports, these details often go unnoticed and unchallenged — allowing financial complicity to persist in plain sight.