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Israeli Arms Company declines Award

freethepeeps | 10.09.2003 12:16 | DSEi 2003

A group of "Pirates of the Middle East", visited Rafael, an Israeli Arms Company at 3/5 Duke St W1, witha view to giving them a Piracy Award for all their acts of plunder, pillage and murder in the Middle East. Activists were unable to enter the offices, due to a locked door. The Pirates hung about outside with banners and kept calling Rafael to come down and accept the award. They declined.

PRESS RELEASE 10/9/03

Rafael Israeli Weapons Producer tested by the Israeli Army on Civilian Targets

Today Peace activists and concerned individuals have decided to take action against the Israeli Arms company Rafael. This is a non violent action which aims to highlight the criminal nature of this arms dealer, and condemns the UK government for inviting this company to sell its weapons, fanning the flames of war and occupation in the middle East and beyond.

At the invitation of the MoD, the Arms Trade Fair at the EXCEL Centre today hosts a leading Israeli weapons producer. Rafael, based in Haifa, have been consistently developed missile systems, which have been and tested out on the civilian population of Palestine. Most notoriously, they are known for the Gill Spike missile, which was first tested on a civilian home in Beit Jala in year 2000.

The Israeli Army continually talk of bomb making factories in the West Bank and Gaza, yet in Haifa they have a company with annual sales of $680m, the 43rd largest arms producing company in the world.

On top of developing weapons used against Palestinian and Lebanese civilians, Rafael have a long list of customers including some of the world's leading armed forces.

The Arms Trade fair in 2001, not even a minute of silence in honour of the dead was held. That year Rafael was here to sell the UK Ministry of Defence the Gill-Spike Anti-tank missiles. This year they are back to continue their trade in misery and death to the people of Palestine, and poor people of the world over.

Israel has consistently been condemned, by Amnesty International, the UN and others on its use of weapons against civilians. The use of anti tank missiles against civilian homes is just one example of
the brute force this army is capable of. UN resolutions condemning these atrocities are not enough. Arms deals to and from Israel give tacit support to the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and the brutalisation of its people. A two way ban most be imposed. How can the UK government be for a peace process in the middle East when they buy, and sell weapons to Israel, and invite companies like Rafael to trade at Europes biggest arms fair?

The action today carried out by UK peace activists aims to highlight this terror and hypocrisy, and bring to the attention the peace loving people of London that their city is being used to sell these weapons of terror.

Shut Down the Arms Fair
Kick Rafael out of business
Justice for Palestine!

freethepeeps