Registry · BCS

Does Barclays PLC support Israel?

Support documentedupdated 2026-07-22

Yes — Barclays PLC has documented support for Israel on record. Every claim below links to its source.

Filed under: Banks & financial companies · Companies that support Israel

Background

Barclays is a major target of UK pro-Palestinian campaigns: the Palestine Solidarity Campaign's 'Boycott Barclays' drive accuses the bank of holding shares in and financing defence companies that supply Israel's military, and protesters have repeatedly disrupted its AGMs. Barclays responds on its official site that it trades shares in listed defence companies on behalf of clients rather than investing its own money — 'Barclays is not a shareholder or investor in that sense' — and that it does not directly fund the State of Israel, but acts within international bank syndicates connecting large economies, including Israel, to capital markets through debt auctions. Its role as a primary dealer in Israeli government bonds, which it reaffirmed in August 2024 after reportedly weighing withdrawal, is documented above.

Barclays (official) — Is it true that Barclays funds the State of Israel? Barclays (official) — Statement on defence funding Palestine Solidarity Campaign Al Jazeera

Timeline of documented support

2008201120142017202020232008 — Operations in Israel: Barclays Israel branch (Tel Aviv)Operations in Israel20082015 — Partnership: Israeli fintech and cybersecurity startups (Barclays Accelerator / Rise Tel Aviv)Partnership20152024-08 — Government contract: State of Israel (government bond auctions)Government contract2024-08

Documented support

TypeDateAmountRecipientSources
Operations in Israel2008—Barclays Israel branch (Tel Aviv)
Barclays has operated in Israel since 2008, when it took over Lehman Brothers' Tel Aviv office after Lehman's bankruptcy. In August 2011 the Bank of Israel approved Barclays as a foreign bank and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange approved its membership; Barclays Israel's then-CEO said the listing would let Barclays "expand the range of services it will give the State of Israel, its economy and its citizens." The bank maintains an investment-banking team in Tel Aviv.
Partnership2015—Israeli fintech and cybersecurity startups (Barclays Accelerator / Rise Tel Aviv)
Barclays ran the Barclays Accelerator powered by Techstars from its Rise Tel Aviv fintech hub (in the former Tel Aviv Stock Exchange building), with a first cohort in 2015 and annual cohorts of ~10 Israeli startups through at least 2019, offering funding of up to $120,000 per startup plus mentoring. Ended: Barclays wound down its global Rise/accelerator programme by mid-2025, saying fintech had matured into a core part of the financial ecosystem.
Government contract2024-08—State of Israel (government bond auctions)
Barclays serves as one of the foreign primary dealers in Israeli government bonds, buying Israeli sovereign debt at auction and reselling it to investors, alongside banks such as Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank. In mid-2024, amid activist pressure over the Gaza war, Barclays reportedly considered withdrawing from future auctions, then reversed and confirmed it would stay; Israel's Accountant General Yali Rothenberg said it was "crucial that leading global financial institutions, such as Barclays, choose to resist boycotting Israel."

Frequently asked questions

Did Barclays PLC donate money to Israel or Israeli causes?

We have no records of cash donations, but Barclays PLC has documented support of other kinds (Operations in Israel, Partnership, Government contract). See the records on this page.

Where does this information come from?

Every record on this page links to its source — news reports, official company statements, tax filings, or government records. 12 distinct sources are cited for Barclays PLC. Our methodology page explains the full verification process.

Sources & citations

Record last updated: 2026-07-22

Companies with documented support