Business | Business News 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. 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’”. Cameron urges Israel to allow more aid into Gaza as UK funds food parcels Gaza's entire population facing acute hunger, US warns Universities minister fears ‘ghettoisation’ of Jewish students on UK campuses Meet the fitness influencer defying stereotypes about ageing MORE ABOUT