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Following on from our concerted actions on Allianz UK offices, in October, Palestine Action made a return visit to the company’s Glasgow offices, at 58 Waterloo Street, over the weekend.
Allianz not only provide Employers Liability Insurance to Elbit Systems, Israel’s biggest arms manufacturer, but they also hold substantial shares in the company. Elbit Systems manufacture more than 85% of the Israeli military’s drones, including the quadcopters being used to slaughter Palestinian civilians.
On the morning of October 8th, Palestine Action targeted 10 Allianz branches, covering them in graffiti and blood-red paint, as well as occupying their Guildford offices. As we said, in our press release, then:
“These nationwide actions serve as a reminder that, throughout the past twelve months, Western capital has continued to profit from the mass murder of Palestinians.”
We have since written to Allianz, to ask that they end their relationship with Elbit, which is a direct contradiction of their human rights policy, which supposedly commits the company to ‘supporting and respecting the protection of international human rights’ and ‘ensuring that Allianz is not complicit in human rights abuses’.
“Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, who produce weapons which are marketed as “battle-tested” on the Palestinian people. They provide 85% of Israel’s military drone fleet and land based equipment, as well as bullets, missiles and digital warfare. Elbit’s Israel-based CEO, Bezhalel Machlis, who also sits on the board of Elbit Systems UK, explained how the company has “ramped up production” to meet the demand of the Israeli military’s genocidal campaign in Gaza and across the wider region. The International Court of Justice has ruled it’s plausible Israel is committing genocide — a genocide armed by Elbit Systems, your client.”
Our letter to Allianz concludes:
“We ask that you do not renew your insurance of Elbit Systems UK, and do not insure the company, or any of its subsidiaries in the future. We also request that you completely divest from Elbit Systems Ltd. If you can confirm that you will cease all dealings with Elbit Systems, we will happily end our campaign against you.”
So far we have not received a response from the company. Their Employers’ Liability Insurance policy with Elbit is due for renewal on 7th November 2024. We again urge Allianz to end all their links with the Genocidal arms manufacturer, and if they fail to do so, they can expect to hear from Palestine Action again.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
If you would like any further information on Palestine action, please contact media@palestineaction.org
Palestine Action is a direct-action network of groups and individuals formed with the mandate of taking direct action against Elbit Systems’ UK locations at grassroots level, calling for them all to be shut down and for the British government to end its complicity in Israeli apartheid.