A LIVELY rally demanding an end to British arms exports to Israel took place in Harlow Town Centre last Saturday (28 June), attended by a cross-section of local residents.

It was organised to protest at the British government’s ongoing arms sales to Israel and Harlow’s involvement due to the fact the headquarters of Raytheon UK, which, according to the Campaign against the Arms Trade, manufactures Paveway IV bombs used by Israel and is a subsidiary of RTX (Raytheon Technologies), one of the world’s largest arms manufacturers. *

A Harlow Palestine Solidarity Campaign spokesperson said “I am sometimes asked: what has Gaza got to do with Harlow?

My answer is two words: Raytheon UK. Raytheon UK is one of the British companies that is exporting weapons technology to the State of Israel, and its head office is in Harlow. Raytheon UK has an outreach programme to encourage British schoolchildren to adopt a career in science and technology, while it exports weapons to Israel that enable the slaughter of Palestinian schoolchildren.

The spokesperson went on to say that the Israeli newspaper Haaretz had revealed that Israeli soldiers had been told to shoot at hungry Palestinians queuing for food in the Gaza Strip, and that a former Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, had said that “What we are doing in Gaza now is a war of devastation: indiscriminate, limitless, cruel and criminal killing of civilians. It’s the result of government policy – knowingly, evilly, maliciously, irresponsibly dictated.”

Other speakers at the rally criticised local MP Chris Vince for failing to speak out against his government’s “complicity in genocide”, pointing out that Israeli troops were being trained in Britain and the Royal Air Force was conducting surveillance overflights of the Gaza Strip on behalf of Israeli military forces.

Speakers condemned the State of Israel for unilaterally ending the ceasefire last March, and called for a complete cessation of all military, trade, tourism, and business links between the UK and the State of Israel until the blockade of the Gaza Strip is ended and the ceasefire re-established.

There were spirited chants of “Raytheon, Raytheon, you can’t hide, you’re involved in genocide”, “End the Gaza genocide, arms embargo now!” and “Free Palestine”.

The organisers of the rally pledged to organise further protests and activities.

For more information, contact Harlow Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Email: [email protected]