The demostration is at the UAV Engines factory, Lynn Lane, Shenstone, Lichfield, WS14 0DT
Friday 17th October 2014, 1-3pm
During July and August 2014 2,150 Palestinians were killed as Israel carried out another massacre of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza strip. Entire neightourhoods were destroyed and mosques, market places, UN relief compounds and schools were deliberately targeted. There was no safe place for the 1.7 million people in Gaza to take shelter from the Israeli bombardment. Israeli unpiloted planes, known as drones, carried out over 800 major strikes. Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest military company, supplied many of the drones used by the Israeli military.
Through its subsidiary UAV Engines, Elbit Systems operates a factory in Staffordshire. The company regularly exports military equipment to Israel. Elbit is also a part of the U-TACS partnership manufacturing the Watchkeeper drone for the Ministry of Defense.
Nine campaigners occupied the rooftop of the factory in August. The occupation closed the factory for two days, costing Elbit tens of thousands of pounds, preventing a shipment of components from being exported to the US and shining a spotlight on the flourishing military cooperation between the UK and Israel.
During the attack on Gaza, Palestinian organisations called for a two-way military embargo on Israel. The call demands an end on all military exports to Israel and of purchases of military equipment from Israeli companies.
Israeli companies were the largest exporters of drones globally in 2013. Israeli drone technology has been sold to over 50 countries worldwide. Israeli war crimes against Palestinians are used as a marketing strategy for Israeli drones which are sold as ‘battle tested’, which means they have been tested on the bodies of Palestinians in Gaza.
We are calling for people from across the UK to join a demonstration at Elbit’s UAV Engines factory to demand a military embargo on sales to Israel and from Israeli companies and to demand the closure of the factory.
The demonstration is being held to coincide with the Boycott Israel Network’s gathering in Coalbrookdale, a short distance from Lichfield. We are calling for local groups to arrange transport.
How to get to the demo by public transport:
The factory address is Lynn Lane, Shenstone, Lichfield, WS14 ODT. It is located on the edge of Shenstone village, and is only about 200 metres from Shenstone Train station. if you are coming by public transport there are trains from Birmingham new Street station to Shenstone every 30 minutes, and the journey time is about 30 minutes (single costs £4.40 full fare). When you get to the station go up the steps to the road – and turn left along Lynn Lane towards the factory which will be on your left.
If you come by car, Shenstone village is just off the A5127 between Lichfield and Sutton Coldfield ( just off the M6 toll road). It’s easy to park in the train station car park or in a residential road nearby and then walk down the road to the factory.
Supporting groups include:
Anarchist Action Network | Boycott Israel Network | Brighton and Hove Palestine Solidarity Campaign | Brighton Jordan Valley Solidarity Campaign | Bristol Against the Arms Trade | Campaign Against Arms Trade
Child Victims of War | Corporate Watch | Coventry Friends of Palestine
Disarm DSEi | Drone Campaign Network | In Minds | International Solidarity Movement London | Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods |
London Palestine Action | Manchester Palestine Action |Manchester Palestine Solidarity Campaign | Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Smash EDO | Stop NATO Cymru |Stop the Arms Fair Coalition
Walsall Network for Palestinian Rights |West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign