Demand Criminal Investigation Into Elbit Systems UK

Join the letter writing campaign to demand formal criminal investigation into Elbit Systems UK for supplying arms and military technology to Israel that are used in the crime of genocide.

BACKGROUND - CASE AGAINST ELBIT

Elbit: "Backbone" Of The Genocide In Gaza

Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest arms manufacturer. Its the 22nd largest arms company in the world (2024). It markets itself as the “backbone” of the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza and describes its employees as “civil soldiers”.

During the genocide in Gaza, Elbit’s backlog of orders has shot up to a record $23.1 billion (Q1 2025), a 40% increase year-over-year. A third of this is directly supplying the Israeli military for its attacks on Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and now Iran. Its international sales have also benefited directly from the genocide, as Elbit markets its products as having been “battle proven” on Palestinians.

Elbit: Provides 85% of Israels Military Land Based Equipment

Elbit provides up to 85% of the land-based equipment procured by the Israeli military according to Database of Israeli Military and Security Export (DIMSE).

In 2023 the Israeli military placed a $760 million worth of munitions order with Elbit Systems, and in August 2024, Elbit was awarded a $340m contract to establish a bomb manufacturing plant and supply various types of ammunition for the Israeli military over a period of ten years. The deal came in the backdrop of growing demand from the Israeli military for ammunition, mainly 122 mm and 155 mm shells, amid the ongoing assault on Gaza.

Land equipment revenue increased by 48% in the first quarter of 2025, due to increased ammunition and munitions sales in Israel, but also sales of artillery system, howitzers, mortars, command and control system, fire control system, and electro optics.

Elbit: Produces Outlawed Cluster Munitions

Cluster munitions are illegal because they cause unacceptable harm to civilians due to their indiscriminate wide dispersal area effect, and unexploded ordnance risks. Cluster munitions used by Israel in Lebanon in 2006, in just 72 hours, resulted in an estimated one million unexploded bomblets scattered across southern Lebanon. To this day they are claiming the lives of children.

Israel refuses to sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions (signed by most of the world including the UK) that outlaws cluster munitions. Instead, Israel has been a major producer and exporter of cluster munitions, primarily artillery projectiles and rockets manufactured by Elbit subsidiary Israel Military Industries (IMI).

Elbit has a reputation of being economical with the truth to cover up its crimes, for example until recently it insisted that its UK operation is not supplying arms to Israel during genocide – then arms export certificates and shipping documentation turned up exposing their untruths. So it’s not surprising that when in October 2020 it claimed it had “discontinued production, sales and deliveries” of cluster munitions, it was not believed.

Several financial institutions divested from Elbit Systems as recently as 2022 due to concerns about its continued involvement in cluster munitions production or marketing.

These include:

Australia’s sovereign wealth fund banned investment in Elbit in 2022 over the company’s production of cluster munitions.

Norway’s largest pension fund, KLP, excluded Elbit from its portfolio in 2021 after its research concluded “it is clear that the company produces cluster munitions”.

HSBC divested from Elbit in 2019 citing its defense policy not to invest in companies linked to cluster munitions production or marketing.

And sure enough, in December 2022, Elbit M971 120mm cluster munition mortar projectiles were photographed in possession of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (a major recipient of munitions from Elbit). Each Elbit M971 120mm mortar projectile delivers 24 M87 submunitions dispersed over a 100 square metre area, and is outlawed under the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Elbit: Provides 85% of Israels Military Drone Fleet

According to DIMSE, Elbit also produces about 85% of Israel’s killer drone fleet responsible for the targeted slaughter of children in Gaza.

Israeli NGO Who Profits reports that “Between October and November 2023, 90% of the targeted killings carried out by the Israeli military in Gaza and the north were carried out using drones”.

Elbit Hermes Drones

Elbit Systems’ Hermes 450 drones, described as the ‘workhorse’ of the Israeli military, have been extensively used by Israel in strikes in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon, raising serious concerns of war crimes. One such example occurred on April 1, 2024, when a Hermes 450 drone launched a missile attack on three vehicles belonging to the humanitarian organization World Central Kitchen near Deir al-Balah in Gaza. This strike killed seven aid workers, including three British nationals. The attack was carried out using Spike missiles. The Hermes 450 drone can carry four Spike missiles.

Its successor, the more lethal larger Hermes 900 can carry twice the payload (350kg). One of its first documented attacks on civilians was the slaughter of the Bakr boys on Gaza beach in July 2014. A Hermes 900 drone was used to fire missiles on children playing football on the beach whilst a Hermes 450 drone was used to film the attack that resulted in the slaughter of 4 children aged between 9 and 11 years old. No one was prosecuted and another 365 Palestinian children were killed in that assault on Gaza, most by air strikes.

Elbit SkyStriker Suicide Drones

According to promotional material from Elbit Systems, the SkyStriker “is a fully autonomous loitering munitions that can locate, acquire and strike operator designated targets with a 5 or 10 Kg warhead installed inside the fuselage, enabling high-precision performance.”

The Israeli military is using SkyStriker suicide drones to target displaced Palestinian families sheltering in tents in displacement camps like Mawasi Khan Younis, which are designated as a “humanitarian zone” that the Israeli military has ordered Palestinians in Gaza to displace to. For example on April 17 2025, a SkyStriker drone smashed into a tent in Mawasi Khan Younis, near Asdaa killing at least ten members of the Abu al-Rous family, including three women and five children. Footage from the site of the attacks shows the charred remains of a makeshift shelter, built out of corrugated metal and tarp in an open area by the side of a road. The parts of the SkyStriker were clearly visible at the site of the attack.

Elbit Skylark Drones

Elbit’s Skylark series of drones are a constant menacing feature in the skies over Gaza, with the latest variant Skylark-3 being able to stay operational for nearly 18 hours at a time.. They provide tactical surveillance and reconnaissance used in intelligence-gathering and target acquisition operations in Gaza.

Elbit Quadcopter Sniper Drones

When Elbit’s Horizon Advanced Manufacturing, Research, and Development hub in Filton was breached by protestors last year, inside they discovered Elbit’s Thor quadcopter drones. These are designed to be fitted with Elbit Bird of Prey stabilized weapons platform which allows a variety of weapons to be used by the drone including M4 rifles, REC10 sniper rifles, grenade launchers, and precision guided 40mm missile launcher, transforming the quadcopter in to a lethal remote controlled killing machine.

American public broadcaster NPR documented Israel’s use of such ‘Sniper drones’ quadcopters, to kill civilians trying to enter a hospital; indiscriminately shooting at displaced civilians sheltering in tents; and targeting rescue workers trying to pull bodies from the rubble after airstrikes had levelled buildings full of civilians (November 2024).

Dr. Mimi Syed, an American emergency and trauma physician who worked at Nasser Hospital in central Gaza for a month says she had multiple patients a day — many in pediatrics — with single gunshot wounds to the head. “Every time someone would come in, they would be brought by family, and it was my routine practice to ask what happened. And every time, it would be a quadcopter drone shot.”

Where is the International Criminal Court?

British surgeon Nizam Mamode broke down in UK Parliament, describing Israel’s quadcopters DELIBERATELY TARGETING CHILDREN who had just been bombed.

pic.twitter.com/oGPYyDFBoz
— sarah (@sahouraxo) November 12, 2024

British surgeon Professor Nizam Mamode testified before parliament how Israeli drones target Palestinian children. “A bomb would drop,” he said, “maybe on a crowded, tented area and then the drones would come down and pick off [injured] civilians – children.” Professor Mamode operated on their devastated little bodies.(November 2024)

Israel is also fitting speakers to armed quadcopters, playing audio recording of crying infants and women in order to lure Palestinians to locations where they can be targeted. One example is in Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp in April 2024, residents woke up to the sounds of babies crying and women calling out for help. When they went outside to locate the source of the cries and provide aid, Israeli quadcopters reportedly opened fire directly at them. According to eyewitnesses, at least seven to 10 people were injured by the quadcopter fire.

Israeli drones are reported emitting sounds of crying children at al-Nuseirat camp in Gaza to target and shoot civilians searching for the source of the distress calls. pic.twitter.com/5w02CqYwqs
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) April 16, 2024

Elbit: Embedded In The Genocide

Elbit goes further than just providing arms for genocide, during an investor conference call (18 Mar 2025) Elbit President & CEO Butzi Machlis revealed how Elbit embeds its personnel alongside the IDF “during combat”, making them directly culpable in war crimes committed during the genocide in Gaza. He also boasted of how battle testing new military tech on Palestinians has translated to new lucrative contracts:

“A year and a half into the conflict, Elbit remains a key strategic partner for the IDF. Over the past year, the company has demonstrated its ability to scale up production massively and meet customer demands while maintaining a strong presence alongside the IDF, upgrading systems in real-time during combat. Numerous new technological capabilities were introduced for the first time, leading to the expansion of existing and new contracts, as well as significant international interest.”

The United Nations Human Rights Council 2025 report on the Economy of Genocide states that

“Since 2023, Elbit has cooperated closely on Israeli military operations, embedding key staff in the Ministry of Defense, and was awarded the 2024 Israeli Defense Prize.”

Israel’s Minister of Defense at the time Yoav Gallant, who has an outstanding arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, bestowed the Israel Defense Prize 2024 on Elbit Systems for providing weaponry that “proved critical in maintaining Israel’s technological and operational superiority on the battlefield.” Also present at the ceremony were the President of Israel Isaac Herzog, IDF Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Director General of the Israel Ministry of Defense Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eyal Zamir, the Head of the Israel Security Agency, Ronen Bar, the Head of the Mossad, David Barnea, and other senior officials.

LETTER CAMPAIGN - DEMAND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IN TO ELBIT SYSTEMS UK

Elbit Systems UK

Elbit has 16 manufacturing facilities in the UK which have been supplying Israel with weapons during genocide. They must be held accountable. We are launching this letter writing campaign asking the police to investigate Elbit Systems UK for complicity in genocide.

For the success of the campaign we need lots of people writing in and for each of those emails to be cc’d to us so we can keep a count and gauge the success of the campaign, and any replies forwarded to us. This information is critical for the next phase of this campaign.

Sample Letter

Here is a sample letter to send to Chief Constable Sarah Crew of Avon and Somerset Police in whose jurisdiction Elbit Systems Horizon Advanced Manufacturing, Research, and Development Hub in Filton is located; and Commissioner Mark Rowley of the Metropolitan Police which has national policing duties.

TO: Sarah Crew <sarah.crew@avonandsomerset.police.uk>,
Mark Rowley <mark.rowley@met.police.uk>
CC: campaign@resistancekitchen.uk

[Your Name]
[Your Town]
[Your Email]
[Date]

Chief Constable Sarah Crew
Avon and Somerset Police Headquarters
(Elbit Systems Horizon Advanced Manufacturing, Research, and Development Hub, Filton)

Commissioner Mark Rowley
Metropolitan Police Service Headquarters

Ref: Criminal Investigation Into Elbit Systems UK

Dear Chief Constable Crew and Commissioner Rowley,

I write to urgently request a formal criminal investigation into Elbit Systems UK and its subsidiaries, including those operating at the Horizon Advanced Manufacturing, Research, and Development hub in Filton, for their involvement in supplying arms and military technology to Israel that are used in alleged crimes of genocide and other serious violations of international law. Whilst such an investigation is ongoing, all activities and shipments from Elbit Systems UK should be halted to prevent further crimes from being committed.

Evidence and Allegations:

There is credible and documented evidence, including cargo documentation and export licences, demonstrating the flow of military components, notably drone parts, from Elbit Systems UK and its subsidiaries to Israel. Of grave concern is the export of components for Elbit’s Hermes 450 drone, powered by a UK-made engine produced by Elbit subsidiary UAV Engines Limited. This drone has been directly implicated in lethal strikes, including the killing of British aid workers in Gaza. Reports from UK officials and investigations have confirmed seven aid workers, including three British nationals, were killed in one such strike executed by a Hermes 450 drone.

Additionally, quadcopter drones like those manufactured at the Horizon facility have been used in operations in Gaza that have resulted in the tragic deaths of many children. The British surgeon Professor Nizam Mamode has testified before Parliament regarding the devastating impact of these drones in targeting civilians, particularly children, emphasizing the humanitarian consequences of UK-supplied weaponry.

Legal Framework Under UK Law:

Under the Export Control Order 2008 and the UK Consolidated Strategic Export Controls, UK companies are legally prohibited from exporting arms that could be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law. Failure to adhere to these controls and to prevent exports that facilitate such grave crimes may constitute a breach of UK criminal statutes related to complicity in international crimes.

Relevant International Law:

The Geneva Conventions, particularly Common Article 3 and Additional Protocol I, protect civilians and prohibit direct attacks on non-combatants during armed conflict.
Independent UN reports and commissions have concluded that Israeli actions, in particular indiscriminate attacks on civilians, including health care workers and journalists; and civilian objects, including hospitals, schools, and places of worship amount to war crimes under the Geneva Conventions.

The 1948 Genocide Convention (Article 1) requires states to prevent and punish genocide, defined as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, specific groups, including by killing members of such groups.
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and a UN Special Committee have all concluded that Israeli actions constitute genocide or genocidal acts under the definition of the Genocide Convention.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, to which the UK is a party, criminalizes genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, including complicity therein.
The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, charged them with responsibility for war crimes including starvation as a method of warfare, and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

The use of UK-supplied drone technology in military operations in Gaza that have led to disproportionate civilian casualties, including children and humanitarian workers, raises strong suspicion of violations of these international legal obligations.

Call for Action:

Given the documented cargo records, export licenses, and credible testimony linking Elbit Systems UK’s supply of drone technology to acts contributing to genocide and war crimes, I urgently call upon your offices to:

Initiate a formal criminal investigation under UK law into Elbit Systems UK and its subsidiaries for alleged complicity in genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Examine the legality and compliance of the issued arms export licences tied to these drone exports in light of how they have been used.
Undertake rigorous review of adherence to international humanitarian law and the Genocide Convention, ensuring accountability for breaches and prevention of further complicity.

Such an investigation is critical to uphold the rule of law in the UK, fulfil our international legal obligations, and prevent ongoing complicity in atrocity crimes.

I await your confirmation of receipt of this letter and information on the steps your offices will take in response.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name]

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