Three jailed British activists have ended weeks-long hunger strikes after reports said a UK subsidiary of Israeli arms firm Elbit Systems was denied a major government contract.
Prisoners for Palestine said the decision met a key demand of hunger strikers Kamran Ahmed, Heba Muraisi and Lewie Chiaramello. The group described the protest as a powerful act of defiance that embarrassed the British state.
The Times reported that Elbit Systems UK failed to secure a £2bn contract to train British soldiers, which was instead awarded to a Raytheon-led consortium. Supporters said the strike highlighted Elbit’s role in supplying weapons used by Israel and warned that the protesters’ health had been at serious risk.
Seven activists have now resumed eating, while campaigners and some politicians say efforts to challenge UK arms ties with Israel will continue. Significantly, the activists have been held in prison without trial for far longer periods than normal, in an example of the British judicial system using coercive and punitive tactics as a strategy against supporters of Palestine.
ewie Chiaramello, Heba Muraisi and Kamran Ahmed
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