Trinity College has been issued a legal notice over potential “complicity” in “war crimes”, after it was found the college has invested thousands into Israeli arms companies.

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), a UK-based rights group, issued Trinity a legal notice on Wednesday (28/02) for “investing in companies potentially complicity in war crimes and genocide”.

The notice comes after a Middle East Eye report last week (21/02) found the college has £61,735 currently invested in Israeli’s largest arms company, Elbit Systems.

The information, obtained under a Freedom of Information request, revealed the investment in Elbit Systems, a company which produces 85% of the drones and land-based equipment used by the Israeli army.

Other companies Trinity has invested in include Caterpillar, a US-based heavy equipment company, General Electric, Toyota, Rolls-Royce, Barclays Bank, and L3Harris Industries.

The notice warned that Trinity’s investments could make it potentially complicit in Israeli “war crimes” and “plausible genocide”.

It stated: “Officers, directors and shareholders at the college may be individually criminally liable if they maintain their investments in arms companies that are potentially complicit in Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

ICJP’s notice called on Trinity to suspend its current investments, giving them a deadline of March 12 (12/03) to respond to the notice with their intentions.

Jonathan Purcell, ICJP’s Senior Public Affairs and Communications Officer, stated that Trinity’s investments are “beyond belief”, saying: “It seems that Trinity College has a bit of a pick-n-mix approach to investment ethics. If they are committed to fossil fuel divestment, it shouldn’t exactly be a major leap to also divest from arms companies and other companies that are potentially complicit in Israel’s war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

“Elbit Systems, Caterpillar and other companies that Trinity has a stake in are not only potentially complicit in Israel’s latest assault on Gaza, but they have also contributed to home demolitions, West Bank barrier construction and other tools of apartheid,” he said.

“Investment in these companies was already morally bankrupt, but in the current circumstances, it is beyond belief that Trinity would choose to continue investing in them,” Purcell concluded.

Trinity College was contacted for comment.