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A pension fund should be reviewed in case any holdings are linked to the conflict in Gaza, councillors in Caerphilly have decided.

The local authority becomes the third member of the Greater Gwent Pension Fund – after Monmouthshire and Newport councils – to call for investments to be protected from any possible links to firms profiting from the conflict.

Cllr Charlotte Bishop, in her motion, called the conflict “deeply concerning and harrowing” and said it had “resulted in significant loss of life”.

The notice of motion, signed by a cross-party group of members, asked the fund to “review their investment portfolio and consider whether any holdings should be divested from any companies that could be benefitting from this horrific conflict”.

It also outlines support for a ceasefire and asks the council leader to write to the UK Government “urging stronger efforts to promote peace”.

During a debate, Ynysddu councillor Janine Reed said she supported the motion, and noted the fund held public workers’ pensions.

“Public funds should reflect public values,” she said, adding it was “reasonable” to expect money to be invested in ways “consistent” with human rights.

Her ward colleague Jan Jones, however, said she would not support the motion, explaining that while negotiations were under way to end the conflict, “the last thing we want to do is to whip up any sort of anti-Semitism”.

“We must be mindful that unintentionally this notice of motion could do this,” she claimed, adding she was “thinking of the people in our country”.

Nelson councillor Sean Morgan he was “a little shocked” by Cllr Jones’ claim, and said the motion was “absolutely essential” – adding “genocide is a terrible thing”.

Risca West councillor Ceri Wright said: “Supporting this notice of motion does not mean you support Hamas” and called that group’s attacks on Israeli civilians in 2023 “utterly horrifying”.

But she said the subsequent scenes in Gaza, following Israel’s offensive, were “also unimaginably horrific”.

Penmaen councillor Elizabeth Davies said the motion was “not voting against the Jewish people” but instead “against the policies of the Israeli government” and “in support of people who are suffering”.

“I wouldn’t support this motion if I thought it could be in any way construed as anti-Semitic,” added Nelson councillor Brenda Miles.

She raised concerns about “the scale of devastation” and said “you cannot stand as an impartial observer in the face of a genocide – we have to support this motion”.

A majority of councillors went on to vote in favour of the motion.