Above photo: Palestine Action.
Direct action works again.
Palestine Action has just secured another victory in the fight against Israel’s arms trade from the UK. This time, the group has forced a law firm to cut ties with Elbit Systems.
Palestine Action: lawyers now moving away from Elbit
In an email to Palestine Action on 23 April, MLL Legal’s partner Dunja Koch confirmed the law firm is no longer working for Elbit Systems and will not do so in the future. This came after a two year direct action campaign which involved repeatedly spray painting the law firm’s London office.
MLL Legal formerly listed Elbit Systems as a client of their ‘merger and acquisition’ services. This makes the law firm the fifth company in recent months to end associations with the Israeli weapons maker. The increasing number of firms refusing to work with Elbit and the recent sale of Elbit’s Tamworth subsidiary signifies the downfall and isolation of the Israeli weapons maker.
In February, transportation giants Kuehne+Nagel (K+N) declared it had ended all ties with Israel’s largest weapons firm, Elbit Systems, and would not be working with the company again in the future. It is one of only six companies licensed for the secure collection, delivery, and disposal of firearms and weapons in Britain.
So, K+N’s decision to cease its relationship with Elbit will significantly hinder the company’s ability to complete its weapons exports to Israel.
Shutting down Israel’s arms supply chain
This came off the back of other victories for Palestine Action. Its sole recruiters, iO associates, the property managers of Elbit’s Shenstone factory Fisher German, and the website hosts for Elbit’s Leicester factory also dropped all ties with the Israeli weapons maker.
And just this week, Lib Dem-led Somerset Council declared that it would be evicting Elbit from the property it owns.
Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons firm, manufacture 85% of Israel’s military drone fleet and land based equipment, as well as bullets, munitions and missiles. Their weaponry is used to commit genocide in Gaza, as stated by the CEO Bezhalel Mechalis.
At Elbit’s 2024 annual investor conference, the company also stated the current genocide is the ‘first digital war’ as they are deploying and experimenting with new technology which connects the different weapons used by the Israeli military.
Palestine Action remain committed to taking direct action against Israel’s weapons trade and those who enable and profit from it.