PALESTINIAN activists targeted Elbit’s investors, insurers and landlords on Nakba Day today.
Filton weapons factory in Bristol, owned by the Israel-based international military technology company and defence contractor Elbit Systems, was also blocked by a repurposed ambulance as part of Palestine Action’s day of protest.
Speaking from the roof of the ambulance, one of the activists said: “Almost 20,000 Palestinian children have been killed, and that’s why we’re here to shut down this factory.”Actions took place against the Glasgow offices of Elbit’s insurers, Allianz, the Manchester-based landlords of Elbit’s Bristol HQ and the Edinburgh offices of Elbit’s investors, BNY Mellon.
UK Labour Party government Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are participants and complicit in Israel’s Gaza genocide providing Israel with army and air force support. They explain that they don’t do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.
Keir Starmer with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. (Photo: Benjamin Cremel / Alamy)
DECLASSIFIED UK Exclusive: Home Office met with Elbit Systems amid crackdown on Palestine Action, documents reveal.
Keir Starmer’s government held a private meeting with Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons company, Declassified has found.
The meeting occurred in December 2024 and was attended by three representatives from Elbit Systems and three officials from Yvette Cooper’s Home Office.
It took place months after Israeli forces used an Elbit drone to kill three British military veterans in Gaza who were protecting a humanitarian aid convoy.
The revelation comes in documents obtained by Declassified through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
Under the previous Conservative government, the Home Office also met with Elbit Systems and attempted to encourage the UK police to crack down on pro-Palestine activism.
Elbit’s efforts to counter Palestine Action in Britain seem to have gone even further.
Documents seen by Declassified reveal the company has its own “intelligence cell” and shares “information with the [UK] police across the country on a two weekly basis”.
The Home Office is refusing to release details about its most recent meeting with Elbit Systems, including which officials were present and what was discussed.
It said that a recording of the meeting was made “but by mutual agreement [with Elbit] this was agreed… not to be released” through FOI.
Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori told Declassified: “There is clear evidence of collusion between government, prosecutors, police, the Israeli government and Elbit Systems in a bid to crackdown on Palestine Action’s relentless direct action campaign.
“Such collusion likely amounts to political and foreign interference in our judicial system, a potential abuse of process in prosecutions against Palestine Action”.
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Palestine Action’s Huda Ammori added: “Eighteen Palestine Action prisoners are detained under counter-terrorism powers in an unprecedented crackdown against anti-genocide activists.
“There must be full transparency of meetings with the government which reference Palestine Action, and an independent investigation into the validity of prosecutions against us, given the evidence of judicial interference”.
The Home Office and Elbit did not respond to a request for comment.
A screenshot from footage showing Palestine Action Activists outside Allianz Commercial offices in London, March 10, 2025
CAMPAIGNERS targeted the offices of insurance giant Allianz in the City of London today over the firm’s complicity in the Gaza genocide.
Palestine Action activists scaled the premises’ main entrance and doused it in red paint, rebuking the firm for insuring and investing in Elbit Systems, Israel’s biggest weapons manufacturer.
A spokesperson for Palestine Action said: “By providing insurance, Allianz is directly enabling the production of Israeli weapons in Britain which are ‘battle-tested’ on Palestinians.
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Today also saw the launch of the Boycott Bloody Insurance campaign, with a groundbreaking report showing how major global insurers actively enable Israel’s ongoing assault on Palestinians.
The report, Ensuring Genocide: The Insurance Industry and Israel’s War Machine, reveals that insurers including Allianz, Aviva, AXA, Zurich, and RSA collectively invested over $1.7 billion (£1.3bn) in companies supplying military equipment used by Israel since October 7 2023.
“Insurance giants claim to protect communities, but they’re funnelling our money into war, exploitation, and violence,” said Monika Nielsen, lead researcher at the new campaign, which “demands accountability from insurers profiting from human suffering.”
A man holds a Palestinian flag after he climbed up Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben at the Palace of Westminster in London, March 8, 2025
A PALESTINE protester scaled the tower containing Big Ben and remained atop the historic landmark for 16 hours at the weekend before he was brought down by authorities.
The solo demonstrator climbed Parliament’s Elizabeth Tower barefoot on Saturday morning and then unfurled a Palestine flag.
He was eventually brought to the ground in a cherry-picker at around 1am yesterday.
In videos shared on social media the day before, the man was seen climbing over a fence surrounding the Houses of Parliament without any security guards intervening.
Crowds of supporters gathered nearby behind police cordons, giving shouts of “free Palestine.”
The protester shared clips from the action on social media, stating in one video: “While they’ve got our political prisoners locked up, I’m staying up here,” as he spoke to negotiators who had ascended on an aerial platform.
“I will come down on my own terms.”
He chanted in another: “Stop the weaponisation of terrorism legislation against Palestine Action activists. Free the Filton 18.”
The 18 activists were arrested after protesting against Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems.
They are accused of having a “terrorism connection” and are currently jailed on remand. …
UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights Situation in the Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese speaks at a press conference at a session of the UN Human Rights Council, Geneva, 27 March 2024 (AFP)
The ICJP referred case studies of four charities, including Trinity College Cambridge and Jewish National Fund UK, to the UN
A number of British charities have been referred to the United Nations special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, over allegedly “aiding and abetting international crimes against Palestinians”.
These include both the University of Cambridge’s Trinity College and Jewish National Fund UK, a charity which has former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as honorary patrons.
The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), a UK-based rights group, announced on Monday that it had answered Albanese’s call for evidence ahead of a report to the UN Human Rights Council on “how the private sector has contributed to establishing and maintain Israel’s presence” in the occupied territories.
The ICJP said its submission explains the case studies of four charities, including Trinity College Cambridge and the UK arm of the Jewish National Fund.
Middle East Eye revealed in February that the prestigious Cambridge college, which is one of Britain’s wealthiest landowners, had $78,089 invested in Israel’s largest arms company, Elbit Systems, which produces 85 percent of the drones and land-based equipment used by the Israeli army.
MEE also reported that the college had millions of dollars invested in other companies arming, supporting and profiting from Israel’s war on Gaza.
Palestine Action activists. Photo: Milo Chandler
