PRESS RELEASE
16/08/22
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pictures are free to use, with no credit needed.
- Another victory for the #ShutElbitDown campaign, as Fisher German, landlords to Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms company, are forced to close their doors following sustained direct action.
- Wooden boards have been put up at the office and workers have not entered the building in weeks. Inside sources have confirmed the site’s abandonment under pressure from Palestine Action
- The company lease and manage a factory (‘UAV Engines LTD.‘) to Elbit Systems. UAV Engines LTD. are responsible for the manufacture of drone engines amongst other parts.
- Fisher German has been targetted by Palestine Action numerous times – and the site in question (directly responsible for the lease) faced rooftop occupation last year, and five covert actions this year alone.
- The news come days after Palestine Action targeted Elbit transport/packaging client ‘Good Packing Company’ – the direct action network is committed to knocking down all those complicit in a complex, interconnected and deadly supply chain.
- Palestine Action: “Anyone complicit in the kill chain faces direct action – it’s as simple as that. Direct action will continue against Fisher German until a statement confirming the termination of Elbit’s lease.”
Inside sources, as well as activists monitoring the site have confirmed to Palestine Action that real estate giant Fisher German, accomplice in Elbit war crimes, have been forced to abandon their Harborne office ‘Vine Property Management‘. This comes after relentless direct action aimed at the site, with a rooftop occupation staged last summer, and five counts of action at the site in 2022 alone – activists smashing windows and dousing the property in red paint. Boards have gone up on windows and doors at the sites, and workers have been absent for some time.
It was this site in particular that leased a factory in Shenstone (UAV Engines LTD.) to Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms company. UAV Engines LTD. are responsible for production of engines and other parts used in assembling Israel’s military drones. This relationship spurred on a sister campaign against the real estate company, as was the case for JLL who formerly leased central London offices to Elbit, with activists taking covert action at Fisher German sites demanding they ‘#EvictElbit’. The campaign will continue until a formal announcement is made by Fisher German, confirming the termination of Elbit’s lease in Shenstone.
A Palestine Action spokesperson stated: “Elbit’s killer supply chain is crumbling under the weight of direct action. Elbit’s suppliers, landlords or other partners – beware. We’ll target anyone and everyone part of this complex, interconnected and deadly supply chain. APPH, Sedgemoor District Council and Good Packing Company will continue to face action at the hands of Palestine Action, as will Fisher German until a formal announcement is made by the company, confirming the termination of Elbit’s lease. Activists will be able to find more information about these targets, and how to take covert action, on our social media and website shortly. The message should be clear by now: divest from Israel’s arms trade, or get hit.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
Palestine Action Occupy Property Manager of Israel’s Drone Engine Factory: https://www.palestineaction.org/property-manager/
Elbit forced to close its London HQ: https://mondoweiss.net/2022/06/israeli-weapons-maker-shuts-london-hq-following-sustained-protest/
Elbit closes Oldham factory in January: https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/uk-admits-activists-forced-elbit-sell-factory
If you would like any further information on Palestine action, please contact info@palestineaction.org
Palestine Action is a direct-action network of groups and individuals formed with the mandate of taking direct action against Elbit Systems’ British locations at grassroots level, calling for them all to be shut down and for the British government to end its complicity in Israeli apartheid.
ELBIT SUPPLY CHAIN
Information on APPH
Information on Sedgemoor District Council
ELBIT SYSTEMS
Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest arms firm, with 8 remaining sites in Britain. They build weapons include drones, artillery and target acquisition software in Britain. All of which are marketed as “battle-tested” or “combat-proven”, as they’ve been tested on the captive population of Gaza.
Company profile on Elbit Systems: https://whoprofits.org/company/elbit-systems/
Role of Elbit drone in killing of four children paying on Gaza beach in 2014: https://theintercept.com/2018/08/11/israel-palestine-drone-strike-operation-protective-edge/
More on the death and destruction inflicted by Elbit’s drones upon Gaza: https://corporatewatch.org/elbit-systems-company-profile-2/
Elbit surveillance technology for Israel’s apartheid wall: https://www.facing-finance.org/en/database/cases/elbit-systems-surveillance-system-torch-for-the-separation-barrier-in-israelpalestine/