Israel has just given BP licences to drill for gas off the coast of Gaza. So, people blockaded its head office.

On Wednesday 6 December, dozens of activists from Fossil Free London assembled outside BP’s London headquarters to protest Israel’s approval of 12 new licences for natural gas exploration off the west coast of Gaza to six companies, including BP:

BP: dirty deals with Israel for Gaza’s gas

BP not only received this licence but is also set to acquire 50% of the Israeli Delek Group-owned NewMed, who have also been granted a licence. NewMed owns 45% of Leviathan, the largest gas field in the Mediterranean, situated off the coast of Israel.

Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip denies the besieged population access to natural resources within its waters, in violation of international law.

Activists held signs linking the oil and gas company to Israel’s continued bombardment of Gaza and shouted “stop fuelling genocide” as well as “profits from oil but none from aid, Gazan genocide is British made.”

Some activists shouted “shame on you” as BP staff left their office buildings after work, while others spoke to the passing public:

The protest is part of a series of actions by Fossil Free London that seek to highlight the link between the climate crisis, fossil fuel companies, and the occupation of Palestine.

The grassroots group have protested Ithaca Energy, owned by Israeli petroleum conglomerate Delek Group, which is part of a UN blacklist of companies complicit in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, as well as previously protesting BP at the end of November, by blocking the doors to office workers at the start of the day.

Big oil sweeping in upon the wreckage of Palestine

Joanna Warrington from Fossil Free London said:

The chant ‘in our thousands, in our millions we are all Palestinians’, rings truer in a climate crisis than ever before. People in Gaza are right now being denied their land, safe water, and secure homes.

This is what is happening to all of us worldwide due to the climate crisis.

It comes as no surprise that big oil is now sweeping in, upon the wreckage, using this humanitarian crisis to dredge out profits from more oil and gas, just as they are doing in this global humanitarian crisis of climate collapse.

We all deserve safety, security and clean air. This is the fight for climate justice. Free Palestine!

Previously, Fossil Free London also blockaded BP’s London HQ on 20 November.

Featured image and additional images via Andrea Domeniconi