Latest news with #ElbitSystems
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Regina doctors remove money from banks investing in Israeli arms industry
Dr. Kieran Conway and several colleagues wanted to do something as news of killings continued to flow out of Gaza. 'There was a group of physicians that felt really demoralized by what was happening in Gaza and feeling quite powerless about what we could do,' said Conway in a recent interview. That's why he and his fellow physicians brought forward a motion to the Regina Medical Staff Association (RMSA) annual general meeting on June 24. It called for the transfer of all funds from major Canadian banks investing in arms manufacturing over to Saskatchewan-based credit unions. Conway, a family physician and hospitalist in Regina, was among the 21 people, or 75 per cent, who voted in favour of the motion which named Scotiabank and RBC. Six voted against. Elbit Systems and Scotiabank's investment in the defence company has come under increasing scrutiny for its role in supplying weapons — including loitering munitions more commonly referred to as 'suicide drones' — following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel in which 1,200 were killed and about 250 were taken hostage. It's difficult to assess the number of Palestinians killed in the 20 months of conflict following the Oct. 7 attack. Palestinian health authorities say more than 50,000, mostly civilians, have been killed, while the United Nations says that number is likely low. According to The Guardian, 879 Israeli soldiers have been killed since Oct. 7. The RMSA has the authority to make such decisions and the Saskatchewan Medical Association 'has no comment on it,' the SMA said an email response to questions from the Leader-Post. 'Individual securities are held based on their investment merit and are not influenced by protest activity,' Scotiabank said in an emailed statement provided Friday. And when it comes to holding of Elbit, 'Scotia Global Asset Management's exposure to Elbit Systems is 1.6 per cent of outstanding shares, as of March 31, 2025.' Past reporting from The Canadian Press indicated Scotiabank's 1832 Asset Management held 642,000 shares in Elbit at the end of second quarter 2024 which was down from about 2,237,000 shares in 2023. On Friday, Scotiabank said 1832 Asset Management holds 700,100 shares of Elbit as of March 31, 2025. Comment was sought from RBC as well, but no response was offered. Regina residents mark one-year anniversary of reignited conflict in Israel, Gaza Talk about Israeli-Palestinian conflict still on after city councillor prevents cancellation As of 2023, Scotiabank was one of the top five investors in Elbit Systems, Israel's largest weapons manufacture. Since then, the bank has reduced its holding in the company though it does still hold significant investments, according to reporting by Reuters. Between the two banks, the RMSA has more than a quarter-million dollars invested, which it will now move to local institutions. Doctors have a moral responsibility 'to stop it, and if we can't stop it, at least make sure that we're not supporting it anyway we can,' said Conway of the ongoing conflict. 'It's hard to know what to do from where we are. Myself, like all physicians, our role, the reason we came into this profession, is to support life,' he said. 'We've watched in horror as it seems Israel has tried to exterminate life in Gaza.' In early January, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) stated 'out of 36 hospitals in Gaza, Palestine, only 17 remained partially functional by early December 2024, with the other 19 closed, while over 1,000 health workers have been killed.' In 2024, a United Nations special committee found 'Israel's warfare in Gaza is consistent with the characteristics of genocide, with mass civilian casualties and life-threatening conditions intentionally imposed on Palestinians there.' Conway said other medical associations in Canada have tried to pass similar motions, but to his knowledge none have been successful. 'I hope this shows other medical associations and other professional associations, even outside of the medical field, that there are tangible things, there is action you can take to to oppose the genocide,' he said. alsalloum@
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Palestine Action say their jailed members are spreading 'intifada' in Britain's prisons after plot to target more RAF bases was revealed
Jailed members of Palestine Action have been successfully spreading the 'intifada' from behind bars, the controversial group has brazenly declared. The bold revelation from the group - which is set to be proscribed as a terrorist organisation - comes as Palestine Action revealed it is preparing to launch a wave of attacks against military sites across Britain. Last Friday, the group released footage of members infiltrating RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and vandalising two aircraft - leading to four arrests by terror police yesterday. A woman, 29, and two men, aged 36 and 24 from London, were arrested on suspicion of a terror offence, while another woman, 41, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. In the aftermath of the incident, the unrepentant group held a series of secret recruitment calls, attended by around 50 new 'comrades', in which it identified RAF Cranwell and RAF Barkston Heath in Lincolnshire, and RAF Valley in Anglesey, as their next top targets. The extremist group, which has already triggered a major security review of UK military bases, is understood to be targeting sites it claims are linked to Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. In a disturbing presentation during the meeting, slides detailed how members should 'hit everything you can find with a sledgehammer' and form autonomous cells capable of operating undetected. Activists were also instructed to download the encrypted messaging app Signal to receive secret instructions. Now in the latest development, a former prisoner and Palestine Action activist was quoted as saying the British state had made a 'miscalculation' in locking him up - and he spent his time behind bars persuading others to join the 'intifada' - an Arabic word meaning 'uprising' - The Telegraph reported. Speaking at a direct action 'workshop', a group member quoted the anonymous prisoner as saying: 'They thought that by imprisoning me, they would halt the British resistance to Israel's genocide. 'But while you can imprison a revolutionary, you cannot imprison a revolution. 'The resistance lives on the streets, in our cities and our towns, and in our prisons too.' At present, there are 19 Palestine Action activists imprisoned in the UK. The majority of these are the 'Filton 18', who remain in custody while awaiting trial over the infiltration of Elbit System's research, development, and manufacturing hub in Filton, Bristol, last August. Facing arrest and prison however is however to be expected, new recruits are being told, and that they must be willing to make 'sacrifices'. At one such secret recruitment meeting, the organiser, appearing in front of a flag linked to the YPJ – a Kurdish female militia involved in the Syrian civil war – told potential recruits: 'The conviction and courage it takes to take this action in the first place is accepting that level of sacrifice.' She added: 'As much as we can stand by our morals and our ethics, we have to know for a fact we have to be well informed that there are risks that we are taking – that is both legal consequences... but also psychologically and financially.' Those present at the online gathering were told they would be divided into individual cells to carry out attacks independently – a tactic designed to avoid leaders being arrested, similar to the structure of groups like Extinction Rebellion. Among the participants were university lecturers, a clergyman, and others described as ranging 'from nursery teachers to surgeons', aged from 18 to 80. The movement is led by Huda Ammori, 31, a British-born activist from Bolton. The daughter of a Palestinian surgeon and an Iraqi mother, she co-founded Palestine Action in 2020 alongside Richard Barnard, a former Extinction Rebellion member. Writing in April, Ammori explained the group's structure was deliberately designed to outwit the authorities. 'By being security-conscious and working in small groups, we can make it difficult for the authorities to respond to individual actions,' she said. She claims the group has flourished despite arrests, and insists they are prepared for further government crackdowns. At the end of the call, recruits were asked to accept an 'actions agreement', which stated: 'Each individual takes part in the movement from their own free will. We encourage all to join but we do not pressure people into doing things that make them uncomfortable.' The boastful revelation that Palestine Action is spreading 'intifada' in Britain comes just months after Conservative justice spokesman Robert Jenrick warned 'ruthless Islamist extremists are in control' inside Britain's high security jails. He spoke out after Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi, 28, left three prison officers 'millimetres' from death after attacking them with makeshift weapons and hot cooking oil at HMP Frankland in County Durham in April. Two officers were also left with life-threatening injuries. Writing in the Daily Mail, Mr Jenrick said the appalling attack must be a 'turning point'. He also warned that in Britain's high-security jails 'all too often, the ruthless Islamist extremists are in control, with prison officers left fearing for their lives'. Prisons are 'no longer places of punishment, but of appeasement', he said, accusing officials of prioritising the 'welfare of wicked individuals' ahead of prison staff. A Ministry of Defence spokesman previously told MailOnline: 'The UK's defence estate is vital to our national security and this government will not tolerate those who put that security at risk. 'This Government is taking the strong step of proscribing Palestine Action due to its activities, which are a threat to our national security.'
Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Times
Revealed: Palestine Action's map of UK targets
Palestine Action has drawn up a new list of about 150 government buildings, military bases, financial institutions and insurance firms to target in attacks. The organisation, which is due to be proscribed as a terrorist group, has urged its followers to damage the sites by smashing windows and equipment, spraying blood-red paint and pouring concrete into water pipes. The 148 UK targets are included on a map the group uploaded to its website. Alongside each target is a reason for its inclusion. For example, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development HQ in Westminster is there due to 'awarding unmanned aerial vehicle contracts'. The Ministry of Defence's Whitehall premises has also been designated a target due to the same reasoning. The map highlights pilot training schools at RAF Cranwell and RAF Barkston Heath, both in Lincolnshire, and RAF Valle in Anglesey, north Wales. Allianz, one of the world's largest insurance firms, has 11 UK locations on the list and has been featured due to the company 'investing in, and providing insurance for, Israel's biggest weapons producer'. BNY Mellon, one of the largest custodian banks, has six locations listed because it 'invests in excess of $12 million in Elbit Systems'. It is not clear how the list has been drawn up but many of the targets are supposedly connected to Elbit, the military technology company. Shannon airport, in County Clare, Republic of Ireland, is also featured, but no reason is given for its inclusion. The site includes a link to Palestine Action's 'underground manual', which states: 'It's time to pick your target. Head to our website to find a list of secondary and primary targets who enable and profit from the Israeli weapons industry in Britain. Making your job to pick one a slightly easier process 'Each is just as culpable as the other, and applying pressure to them is key to breaking the links which sustain Israel's arms trade. It might be simpler to pick a target based on your locality, making it easier to plan, conduct the recces and save some transport costs!' The guide includes various ways to attack sites, such as smashing windows and equipment with sledgehammers. Elbit has faced most of Palestine Action's wrath, its sites repeatedly targeted at a cost of millions of pounds to the company. Last year Palestine Action carried out almost daily protests at Elbit sites. One such incident in Bristol involved smashing through a factory fence with a prison van and damaging the building with sledgehammers. Two police officers and a security guard were injured. In March analysis by The Sunday Times found that since its foundation in July 2020, Palestine Action has claimed responsibility for 356 direct actions on British-based defence and engineering firms, banks, insurance companies, estate agents and property companies, accountancy firms, universities and local government buildings the group claimed have links to Israeli defence firms. The Times can also reveal the organisation's close links to the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), believed by British officials to have direct ties to Iran. Since the announcement about Palestine Action's proscription, the IHRC has repeatedly posted on social media its support. IHRC was criticised by William Shawcross's independent review of Prevent as an 'Islamist group ideologically aligned with the Iranian regime' that has a history of 'extremist links and terrorist sympathies'. Shawcross said senior figures had espoused support for violent jihad and 'advocated for the extraction and eradication of 'Zionists''. Furthermore, Palestine Action has ties to Cage, the Islamist group that once praised Jihadi John as a 'beautiful young man'. The two groups released a joint statement condemning the government's counterextremism definition in March 2024. During the trial of the 'Elbit Eight' in 2023, Palestine Action and Cage ran a joint campaign to encourage demonstrations outside the trial and for supporters to attend court hearings. Palestine Action has used IHRC annual Quds Day marches as a recruiting tool for the group and the group's co-founder Huda Ammori has spoken at IHRC rallies. When The Times approached the IHRC about whether it funded Palestine Action, it said: 'While we support the aims and objectives of Palestine Action — namely, opposition to the crimes of Israel — we have not provided them with any financial or material support.' Regarding Shawcross's description, it said: 'Shawcross's assertion that IHRC is 'ideologically aligned' with Iran is not evidence. It is opinion, and a deeply prejudiced one at that.' Palestine Action was approached for comment.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Chaos in Belgium: Pro-Palestine activists sabotage military vehicles destined for Ukraine
Pro-Palestinian activists targeted Belgian defense companies, including OIP in Tournai, causing significant damage to military equipment intended for Ukraine. The activists, numbering around 100, broke into OIP, vandalizing property and delaying crucial deliveries. OIP's CEO stated that the company hasn't supplied Israel with weapons in over 20 years and condemned the actions as vandalism. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Protesters came prepared and caused damage OIP's role and reaction to the attack Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs In Tournai, a city in Belgium, some pro-Palestinian activists broke into a defense company called OIP and damaged military equipment that was supposed to go to Ukraine. They also targeted two Belgian companies — OIP in Tournai and Syensqo in Haren — because they accused these companies of helping Israel's military in Gaza, as per many protests were about Israel, the biggest damage happened in Tournai, where the equipment for Ukraine was seriously damaged. On June 23, around 100 masked activists entered the OIP company grounds. OIP is the Belgian branch of the Israeli weapons company Elbit Systems, according to the report by The New Voice Of CEO of OIP, Freddy Versluys, said the protesters came prepared with angle grinders and hammers. The group started by smashing desks and computers, then they heavily damaged several military of this damage, OIP will now delay the delivery of important equipment to Ukraine by at least one month. The financial damage is nearly 1 million euros, and the company has already filed an official complaint. Versluys also noticed that about 80% of the protesters were women, which can be clearly seen in the video by how they behaved and used the hammers, as stated by The New Voice Of Ukraine mainly works on repairing, maintaining, and upgrading military equipment. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, OIP has supplied around 260 armored vehicles to the Ukrainian army. The CEO said that OIP hasn't made any weapons or defense tools for Israel in more than 20 years. He also said the company isn't allowed to send any equipment to Israel. He called the protesters vandals who used the Palestinian cause as an excuse to commit June 20, a group of pro-Palestinian activists entered a Royal Air Force base in the UK. They sprayed red paint on two military planes and said they broke other equipment and made the planes stop working, according to The New Voice of broke into two Belgian defense companies and damaged military equipment, especially at OIP in in Tournai and Syensqo in Haren were the two companies attacked.
New York Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Pro-Palestinian Activists Arrested Under Terrorism Law in U.K. Air Base Break-In
The police in Britain have used a counterterrorism law to arrest three people over a pro-Palestinian group's recent incursion at a British military base in a rare use of such powers against acts of vandalism. This week, the British government announced an intention to ban the group, called Palestine Action. The arrests were made on Thursday under a 2000 law that allows enhanced detention for those 'suspected to be a terrorist,' the police said. The powers are commonly used against people suspected of planning jihadist or far-right attacks to give investigators more time to question them. A police statement released on Friday did not identify the suspects but described them as a 29-year-old woman and two men aged 36 and 24. The police said that they had also arrested a 41-year-old woman on suspicion of assisting an offender. The four arrested are being held during the investigation into the break-in by Palestine Action at Brize Norton, Britain's largest Royal Air Force base, in the early hours of June 20. The group posted footage online showing two activists moving around the base on electric scooters before using red paint to damage two military planes. Palestine Action has previously targeted facilities linked to military companies, including Elbit Systems, an Israeli weapons manufacturer. The group also vandalized President Trump's Turnberry golf resort in Scotland in March. Mr. Trump referred to its members as 'terrorists' and called for them to be 'treated harshly' after activists defaced the resort's clubhouse with red paint and daubed 'Gaza is not 4 sale' on part of the golf course. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
