Palestinian rights campaigners will gather across Britain on Saturday to protest against this country’s complicity in arming Israel.
The day of action comes on the sixth anniversary of Israel’s 51-day bombardment of the Gaza Strip, which killed 2,200 people — nearly a quarter of them children.
Israeli forces attacked densely populated civilian areas, destroying 18,000 residential units and leaving over 100,000 Palestinians homeless.
Despite widespread condemnation of Israel’s deliberate and systematic targeting of the civilian population of Gaza, including by the United Nations, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, Britain continues to arm Israel. According to Campaign against Arms Trade (CAAT) between 2014 and 2018, the UK issued individual licenses for £364 million worth of military equipment and technology for export to Israel, as well as 20 open licenses, allowing unlimited deliveries over a 3-5 year period. In addition, the UK continues to purchase high-tech weaponry from Israel, advertised as battle-tested on the Palestinian people. As Israel continues to murder Palestinians with impunity, Palestinian civil society has called for effective action to hold Israel to account, including for a two-way arms embargo now.
But the chain of complicity runs deeper than the government. As revealed by research that shows both UK universities and local government pension funds invest in companies complicit in Israel’s war crimes, including companies that supply weapons to Israel.
In addition, financial institutions such as HSBC invest and provide financial services worth millions to companies that supply Israel with weapons. Including BAE Systems and Raytheon. Weapons with both BAE and Raytheon components were used in 2014. All institutions have a moral duty to end their complicity now. They must all #StopArmingIsrael
Meanwhile, the latest Israeli military offensive has now been pounding Gaza with air strikes and artillery for more than 10 days.Israel uses military force to maintain its oppression of Palestinians. It targets people with tear gas grenades, rubber-coated bullets and live ammunition, and carries out mass arrests, house demolitions and extrajudicial executions. This brutality lies at the heart of Israel’s systematic violations of Palestinian rights, amounting to serious breaches of international law, and even war crimes. Gaza officials are currently warning of disruptions to Gaza's only power plant , leaving residents with just a few hours of electricity per day after Israel cut fuel supplies to Gaza's only power plant.
Manchester Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s Norma Turner said: “Today, we are calling on people to not just demonstrate but head straight for those most complicit in these crimes, especially the arms factories and offices of Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons-maker, which makes the majority of the drones that kill so many Palestinians.
“Companies like Elbit shouldn’t be profiting, they should be punished and banished, given the murder and injury their weapons are being used for.”
Adie Mormech of Manchester Palestine Action warned that Israel is using Gaza as a laboratory for the development of its weapons.
He said: “Just like for the fight against apartheid South Africa, we must stand in the way of such a grotesque industry that thrives on the devastation, loss and trauma that people like the Palestinians face every single day.”
A full list of demonstrations can be found here: palestinecampaign.org/events/stop-arming-israel-national-day-of-action-2/
Help increase the pressure on the UK government to end its arms trade with Israel and its complicity in Israel’s occupation and war crimes: email your MP to demand a two-way arms embargo on Israel.
