Campaigners protest outside factories against arms sales to Israel

Trade unionists and anti-weapons campaigners staged protests outside two factories on Wednesday morning in the latest demonstrations calling for an end to arms sales to Israel.

Members of several trade unions, including health workers, teachers and academics, joined the protests outside Leonardo UK in Edinburgh and GE Aviation in Cheltenham, which those taking part said produce components for F-35 fighter jets.

The action, under the banner Workers For A Free Palestine, follows similar protests across the country in the past few months.

The protesters called on the UK Government to halt arms supplies to Israel before any ground offensive in Rafah in the Gaza Strip.

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Organisers said Wednesday’s demonstrations will form part of a month of disruptive direct action in support of Palestine.

Zad, a housing support worker and union member taking part in the protest, said: “Israel is on the brink of invading the very area they told the people of Gaza it was safe for them to flee to. Such atrocities could not take place without the political and military support of governments like Britain.

“We’re taking action to stop the flow of arms from Britain to Israel before it launches an illegal assault on Rafah which the United Nations has made clear will cause catastrophic levels of death and destruction, and plunge Gaza into famine.”

Laura, a trade unionist helping to organise the protests, said: “Polling shows the majority of Brits support a ceasefire and one million people have marched for that cause.

“Both the Conservatives and the Labour Party have refused to listen and now, in response to the strength of solidarity with Palestine among the British public, the Government is seeking to instead suppress this and crack down on our rights to protest under the guise of ‘anti-extremism’”.