On Monday 8 September, a group of five activists from Palestine Action Germany broke into the guarded Elbit systems’ factory in Ulm, Germany. Once inside, they barricaded the doors and damaged machinery, equipment, and weapons systems:
After an hour of dismantling the factory, German police detained and arrested them.
Palestine Action Germany: taking on Elbit
The Ulm factory is owned by Israel’s biggest weapons producer, Elbit Systems. The subsidiary prides itself on producing UAVs for air, sea, and land. It also advertises thermal imaging, night vision, and reconnaissance systems for target acquisition.
Elbit Systems, is described as the “backbone” of the Israeli military, as it provides 85% of Israel’s military drone fleet and land-based equipment, as well as its missiles, targeting software, and digital warfare.
A spokesperson from Palestine Action Germany said:
The production and supply of weapons to Israel from companies in Germany for the ongoing genocide in Palestine must stop. The German state has failed to abide by its own laws, as the country remains a key partner to Israel’s genocide in Palestine, and has done so for the past 700 days. Rather than abide by international law, Germany has chosen to allow weapons companies to manufacture and supply weapons to Israel worth 100’s of $millions. Such companies include Israeli weapons firm Elbit Systems and Rheinmetall and Co supply engines for tanks, small arms and explosive charges, to name but a few.
Elbit Systems Germany prides itself on producing UAVs (military drones) for air, sea and land. They advertise thermal imaging, night vision and reconnaissance systems for target acquisition. All of their weapons are marketed as ‘battle-tested’ on Palestinians, and are used to terrorise the people of Gaza 24/7.
In order to directly intervene in the supply of weapons to Israel, five activists from Palestine Action Germany took direct action to dismantle the Ulm factory of Israel’s biggest weapons firm, Elbit Systems. By doing so, they are breaking down the tools used to mass murder and destroy Gaza.
Germany: a participant in Israel’s genocide
The five activists which participated in the action today said:
Elbit’s weapons are massacring people in Palestine – from the factory halls in Ulm into the hands of the IOF.
From the factory halls in Ruhepot into the head of a 14-year-old girl.
From German factories for the genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the colonization of the West Bank. Despite the legal proceedings for genocide and war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Despite the many human rights organizations that have been raising the alarm for years. And despite the protests of the civilian population worldwide. Despite the large demonstrations taking place in Germany against the Israeli occupation.
Germany continues to supply weapons to Israel.That is why we are implementing international law ourselves. We are stopping the war machine that enriches itself on the suffering of people, and to do our part to end these cruel conditions. Because Germany is not doing that. Germany is fooling its citizens and the whole world by talking about humanity while supporting genocide. Today we are sabotaging the hypocrisy of the Western values – these states have exposed themselves as racist through their actions in recent decades until today. We are taking a stand against the ignorance, violence and contempt for humanity that has persisted in German and Israeli politics for decades. We are fighting for a free and good life in Palestine and the whole world.
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