Photo: Peace activists protest DEFSEC on October 1.
The Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace are protesting against the DEFSEC arms show from 12 pm to 1 pm October 1 to 3 in Halifax.
As can be seen in the photo below reposted by DEFSEC Atlantic, its sponsors include Lockheed Martin, Leonardo DRS and Boeing.
The online resource Companies Profiting from the Gaza Genocide published by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Action Center for Corporate Accountability names each of these companies.
That resource highlights:
“The world’s fifth largest weapons manufacturer, Boeing manufactures F-15 fighter jets and Apache AH-64 attack helicopters, which the Israeli Air Force has used extensively in all of its attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, including in 2023.”
“Italy’s largest weapons manufacturer, Leonardo makes the Oto Melara 76/62 Super Rapid 76mm naval guns installed on the Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar warships. Israel’s newest warship, the Sa’ar 6, was used operationally for the first time on Oct. 16, 2023, firing at targets in Gaza using Leonardo’s gun.”
“The world’s largest weapons manufacturer, Lockheed Martin supplies Israel with F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, which Israel has been using extensively to bomb Gaza. Israel also uses the company’s C-130 Hercules transport planes to support the ground invasion of Gaza.”
The floorplan for DEFSEC also shows BAE Systems, Gastops, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Inc., and Rolls-Royce as exhibitors.
The AFSC further notes:
“The world’s seventh largest weapons manufacturer, U.K. company BAE Systems manufactures the M109 howitzer, a 155mm mobile artillery system that the Israeli military has been using extensively, firing tens of thousands of 155mm shells into the Gaza Strip.”
“Rolls-Royce Holdings is the world’s 25th largest weapons manufacturer. It is no longer associated with Rolls-Royce cars, which have been manufactured by BMW since 1998. The company’s German subsidiary MTU developed the engines for Israel’s Merkava 4 and 5 (Barak) battle tanks. Israel has used these tanks extensively in the Gaza Strip, including in its November attacks on the Shifa Hospital and the Indonesian Hospital.”
Additionally:
The Breach recently reported: “[Ottawa-based] Gastops is the only company in the world that produces engine sensors that go into U.S.-made F-35 combat jets—including the ones dropping 2,000 pound bombs in Gaza.”
And in mid-August The Maple reported: “The United States government announced this week that a Quebec-based company [General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Inc.] will be the principal contractor in a ‘possible’ $61-million US sale of high explosive mortar cartridges and related equipment to Israel.”
UN Inquiry finding of war crimes
In June, a United Nations Inquiry found:
“Israeli authorities are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the military operations and attacks in Gaza since 7 October 2023, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, said in a new report.
In relation to Israeli military operations and attacks in Gaza, the Commission found that Israeli authorities are responsible for the war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare, murder or wilful killing, intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects, forcible transfer, sexual violence, torture and inhuman or cruel treatment, arbitrary detention and outrages upon personal dignity.”
ICJ ruling on plausible genocide
And almost eight months ago, on January 26, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a preliminary ruling on South Africa’s claim that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people, specifically in the Gaza Strip.
At that time, the ICJ ruled that it is “plausible” that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.
Toronto-based university law school professors Heidi Matthews, Faisal A. Bhabha and Mohammad Fadel have argued: “Because the ICJ found a serious risk of genocide in Gaza, continuing to export arms to Israel would be illegal. It would also be flagrantly inconsistent with Canada’s obligation to prevent genocide and could expose Canada and Canadian officials to liability for participation in genocide.”
We continue to follow this.
Peace Brigades International-Canada has endorsed the campaign for an Arms Embargo Now. To see the video of the recent webinar with Rachel Small (World Beyond War), Kelsey Gallagher (Project Ploughshares) and Noam Perry (American Friends Service Committee Action Center for Corporate Accountability) that PBI-Canada co-hosted with the Canadian Friends Service Committee (CFSC), click here.
