At 7.45AM, Palestine Action struck at the 40 Strand, London offices of ‘APCO Worldwide’, political lobbyists for Israel’s biggest weapons firm, Elbit Systems. Red paint was sprayed across the premises using repurposed fire extinguishers before three activists attached themselves to each other using a lock on device within a suitcase. The front door was closed using a D-lock and a banner was unfurled which reads ‘Stop lobbying for Genocide. APCO Drop Elbit’. The action is currently ongoing.
Arrested for shutting down the Israeli arms industry’s lobby firm in Central London.
Lobbyists work in the shadows, today actionists brought their dirty business to light. pic.twitter.com/1f3QqPDapS
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) September 3, 2024
According to the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists [1], APCO provides consultant lobbying services to ‘Elbit Systems UK’. At a time when Elbit is playing a central role in the genocide in Gaza, APCO is working to embed its client into the top ranks of Whitehall and Westminster. These lobbyists, including those who have previously secured back-door contracts for Elbit in the past, are working to shore up British support for Israel’s arms trade at a time when 16 activists are imprisoned for conscientious action taken against genocide.
These lobbyists work to strengthen Elbit’s ties to politicians and civil servants responsible for British Ministry of Defence (MoD) procurement, helping to advertise the weapons it boasts of having “battle-tested” against Palestinians. APCO’s senior staff includes Lord Polak , who joined APCO when it acquired his pro-Israel lobbying firm ‘TWC’ in 2018 [2]. According to the Sunday Times, TWC was reported as having secured, through a “secret campaign”, a £500,000,000 MoD contract for Elbit in 2012 [3].
Recently, Elbit CEO Bezhalel Machlis remarked: “[Elbit’s] portfolio was improved drastically and this war has been an accelerator for many developments. The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is using these technologies now and in the future, we will bring them to the rest of the market as well” [4]. With the help of APCO Worldwide, the British MoD will remain front of the queue for the weapons Israel has tested out in this genocide – including new lines of missiles [5], and its ‘quadcopter’ drones [6] recently displayed for the British market at Elbit’s Bristol HQ [7].
Furthermore, lobbyists for Elbit have consistently pushed the State to increase the its repression of the activists who are working to end complicity in the 21st century’s worst genocide, and in history’s longest military occupation. Since Keir Starmer has been prime minister, the State have employed unprecedented powers against Palestine Action activists: detaining them under ‘counter-terror’ and ‘organised crime’ powers [8], in such a way as organised lobbyists for Israel’s arms trade have long-demanded he use [9].
Currently, 16 prisoners are held within the British Prison Estate for taking action against those fuelling mass atrocities in Gaza. These individuals, five under custodial sentences, eleven held on-remand, are imprisoned for engaging in justified and necessary action to do what the government refuses to do: attempting to end Britain’s contributions towards the mass-slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza.
While the British state’s continued arms exports to Israel stands in violation of its own arms-export regulations, and in contravention of international obligations under the Genocide Convention and Arms Trade Treaty, such action is a necessity.