Activists protest outside arms suppliers to 'Israel' across Europe

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
7 Dec 2023 15:51
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Arms manufacturing factories have been targeted in protests across Europe amid demands to stop the arming of "Israel" since the start of the genocide in Gaza.

Protesters attend a pro-Palestinian demonstration in London, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023 (AP)

Activists are blockading and protesting in front of weapons manufacturers and suppliers to "Israel" across Europe.

These include Exxelia (Paris, France), TERMA Group (Aarhus and Copenhagen, Denmark; Leiden, The Netherlands), and UAV Engines (Shenstone, UK).

A military component manufactured by Exxelia enabled Israeli forces to precisely guide a missile to strike the roof of the Shuheibar family home on July 17, 2014, killing three children and seriously injuring two further children, according to the Workers in Palestine group.

The group added that gun pods manufactured by TERMA Group enable the occupation to mount excessive amounts of explosives to the otherwise small and agile F-35s, citing a report in the Danish media that 75 children were killed in Gaza in May 2021 and August 2022 by fighter jets carrying parts from TERMA Group.

Eaton Mission Systems in Bournemouth, BAE Systems at Samlesbury Aerodrome in Lancashire, L3Harris factory in Brighton and Hove, and BAE Govan in Glasgow are the four manufacturing facilities currently producing F-35 stealth combat aircraft utilized by "Israel" in its war in Gaza.

In recent protests in the UK, demonstrators have targeted the facilities in support of Palestine.

The group of trade unionists advocating for change consists of diverse professionals, such as health workers, teachers, hospitality workers, academics, and artists. Their collective demand is for the cessation of arms sales to "Israel", and they are urging the UK government to actively support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

The participating trade unions include Unite, UNISON, GMB, the NEU, the BMA, UCU, BECTU, and BFAWU.

Palestine Action UK blocks entrance to Israeli arms factory

In November, activists from Palestine Action, a network that directly attacks Israeli weapon factories across the UK, put up a demonstration in support of Palestine by blocking the entrance to UAV Tactical Systems (U-TacS), a company owned by Elbit Systems, the largest Israeli arms manufacturer.

They reportedly laid themselves down in front of cars and chained themselves to a van at the entryway.

Palestine Action reported that U-TacS is a joint venture between Elbit Systems and Thales, a French arms company, and added that their demonstration was a "concrete form of solidarity with the Palestinians under attack, while Western governments insist on supporting "Israel" to the hilt despite growing public opposition."

The activists also affirmed that their efforts to confront "British complicity" in the genocide against Gaza will resume unless the UK chooses to break all its ties to the genocide.