PRO-PALESTINE activists halted all engine production for Israel’s killer drones in Elbit Systems’ factory in Shenstone, Staffordshire, today-

Palestine Action said activists occupied the roof of UAV Engines, which is owned by Elbit Systems, and blocked a private road leading to Elbit’s headquarters in Bristol.

A spokesman for the group said the factory is a crucial subsidiary of Elbit because it produces the engine for the Hermes 450 drone, believed to be the backbone of the Israeli military drone fleet.

In Bristol, activists attached themselves to each other in order to entirely blockade the private road in the Aztec West estate, forcing the operations HQ to close, he added.

The Bristol site has become Elbit’s main British hub since Palestine Action forced the closure of its London headquarters last year.

Elbit Systems is said to supply 85 per cent of Israel’s drone fleet and 85 per cent of its land-based military equipment.

Palestine Action said today’s actions follow medical teams in Gaza reporting seeing unusually severe burns on the bodies of Palestinians killed or wounded by Israeli strikes in the current onslaught, and have related these injuries to new weapons used by the Israeli military. 

Israeli forces killed a 16-year-old Palestinian boy in Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank using a drone-fired missile early on Monday, Defence for Children International — Palestine has said.

“Israeli forces are now regularly using weaponised aerial drones and attack helicopters to carry out attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank,” said charity spokesman Ayed Abu Eqtaish.

“Israeli forces are deliberately resorting to the unlawful use of force in attacks against Palestinians throughout the occupied Palestinian territory.”

Elbit has been contacted for comment.