Palestine Action just exposed how the Israel arms lobby directly influences UK parliament

Palestine Action has once again targeted Elbit System – but this time, not directly. Instead, the group has taken action against one of the major lobbyists for Israel’s arms industry -and in doing so, exposed how the revolving door between parliament and weapons manufacturers.

Palestine Action: targeting the lobbyists

At 7.45am on Tuesday 3 September, Palestine Action struck at the 40 Strand, London offices of ‘APCO Worldwide’, political lobbyists for Israel’s biggest weapons firm, Elbit Systems.

Red paint was sprayed across the premises using repurposed fire extinguishers before three activists attached themselves to each other using a lock on device within a suitcase:

The front door was closed using a D-lock and a banner was unfurled which reads ‘Stop lobbying for Genocide. APCO Drop Elbit’:

BREAKING: Palestine Action blockade and drench the London offices of APCO Worldwide.

APCO are paid lobbyists for Israel’s biggest arms firm, Elbit Systems.

They work to secure government contracts for weapons which are “battle-tested” on Palestinians. pic.twitter.com/vys7GmNkPa

— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) September 3, 2024

Conservative Lords: lobbying for genocide?

According to the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists, APCO provides consultant lobbying services to ‘Elbit Systems UK’. At a time when Elbit is playing a central role in the genocide in Gaza, APCO is working to embed its client into the top ranks of Whitehall and Westminster. These lobbyists, including those who have previously secured back-door contracts for Elbit in the past, are working to shore up British support for Israel’s arms trade at a time when 16 activists are imprisoned for conscientious action taken against genocide.

These lobbyists work to strengthen Elbit’s ties to politicians and civil servants responsible for British Ministry of Defence (MoD) procurement, helping to advertise the weapons it boasts of having “battle-tested” against Palestinians.

APCO’s senior staff includes Lord Polak, who joined APCO when it acquired his pro-Israel lobbying firm ‘TWC’ in 2018. According to the Sunday Times, TWC was reported as having secured, through a “secret campaign”, a £500,000,000 MoD contract for Elbit in 2012.

It is unclear how much the ‘lord’ makes from APCO. Polak’s parliamentary register of interest says his APCO renumeration is paid to his and his wife’s company Markham Services Limited. A glance at their accounts shows that, due to exemptions, Polak doesn’t declare his income. Instead, Markham had around £222,000 in equity in 2023.

Polak, meanwhile, is president and director of Conservative Friends of Israel.

He also visited Israel at the start of the year, at the height of Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Polak’s trip was paid for by Elnet, another lobbying group for Israel. openDemocracy described it as having:

branches across Europe and Israel and describes itself as “the most influential pro-Israel advocacy organisation in Europe”. It even counts the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs as one of its “partners”. It has also promoted highly controversial views – including recently telling supporters that there is “no starvation in Gaza” and saying the IDF should not worry about killing innocent civilians who live near Hamas terrorists.

The Elbit link

Recently, Elbit CEO Bezhalel Machlis remarked: “[Elbit’s] portfolio was improved drastically and this war has been an accelerator for many developments. The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is using these technologies now and in the future, we will bring them to the rest of the market as well”.

With the help of APCO Worldwide, the British MoD will remain front of the queue for the weapons Israel has tested out in this genocide – including new lines of missiles, and its ‘quadcopter’ drones recently displayed for the British market at Elbit’s Bristol HQ.

Furthermore, lobbyists for Elbit have consistently pushed the state to increase the its repression of the activists who are working to end complicity in the 21st century’s worst genocide, and in history’s longest military occupation.

Palestine Action: its work is a “necessity”

Since Keir Starmer has been prime minister, the state has employed unprecedented powers against Palestine Action activists: detaining them under ‘counter-terror’ and ‘organised crime’ powers, in such a way as organised lobbyists for Israel’s arms trade have long-demanded he use.

Currently, 16 prisoners are held within the British prison estate for taking action against those fuelling mass atrocities in Gaza. These individuals, five under custodial sentences, eleven held on-remand, are imprisoned for engaging in Palestine Action’s justified and necessary action to do what the government refuses to do: attempting to end Britain’s contributions towards the mass-slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza.

Palestine Action commented:

While the British state’s continued arms exports to Israel stands in violation of its own arms-export regulations, and in contravention of international obligations under the Genocide Convention and Arms Trade Treaty, such action is a necessity.

Featured image and additional images via Palestine Action