Once again, Palestine Action has shown that direct action against the companies propping up Israel’s genocide against Gaza is the most effective method of resistance in the UK. This is because two insurance giants which the group has targeted are now so shook, they’re both looking to take legal action to stop the protests.
Palestine Action: first Allianz…
First, global insurance giant Allianz has come under fire for its response to multiple daring demonstrations by Palestine Action. Instead of addressing concerns over its investments and business dealings, Allianz has chosen to pursue legal action against activists who occupied its London offices in protest.
On 4 March 2024, Palestine Action campaigners scaled and occupied Allianz’s UK headquarters at 22 Bishopsgate, demanding the corporation sever ties with Israel’s war economy. The activists targeted Allianz due to its investment in Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, which supplies weapons used by Israel to kill Palestinians.
However, rather than engaging with these serious allegations, Allianz swiftly moved to criminalize those exposing its complicity.
Palestine Action has repeatedly called out Allianz for its role in bankrolling companies that profit from war crimes in Gaza and the occupied territories. The demonstrators’ occupation was a direct challenge to Allianz’s participation in funding violence, seeking to disrupt business-as-usual for a corporation that remains unmoved by the suffering of Palestinian civilians.
In a revealing move, Allianz wasted no time in filing for an injunction, showing that its priority lies in protecting corporate interests rather than addressing legitimate human rights concerns. By seeking legal action, Allianz attempts to silence dissent rather than confront its own moral and ethical obligations.
Then, as if by magic, Aviva followed suit.
Then Aviva – scared to death by Palestine Action
From 7am on Tuesday 11 March, Palestine Action began occupying the entrance of Aviva’s Manchester office at The Observatory, Chapel Walks, M2 1HN. Activists climbed on top of the revolving doors, stuck Palestine flags on the wall and a banner to the front which reads “Aviva Palestina”.
Aviva provides the mandatory employers liability insurance for UAV Engines in Staffordshire, a drone engine factory owned by Israel’s biggest weapons manufacturer, Elbit Systems.
Palestine Action has already targeted Aviva twice this year alone at its offices in Bristol and Scotland, and have continuously taken direct action against insurance companies with ties to Elbit systems, including actions at dozens of Allianz locations across Europe since October 2024.
Latest intel shows that whilst Aviva no longer holds direct shares in Elbit Systems, however Aviva continues to hold investments in other funds which hold Elbit shares. All this shows the insurer’s moral and financial backing of a state engaged in brutal oppression, illegal settlement expansion, and military assaults on Palestinian civilians.
Yet, like Allianz, rather than confronting the ethical concerns raised by activists, Aviva has chosen to align itself with corporate interests that profit from human rights violations. The injunction seeks to prevent Palestine Action from carrying out further protests against Aviva, a move widely seen as an attempt to silence dissent and shield the company from scrutiny.
Cowardly hearts, or straight up shook ones?
Palestine Action has vowed to continue escalating its campaign until Allianz, Aviva, and other financial backers of Israel’s military industry divest from war profiteering. The group has gained widespread support for its fearless direct actions, exposing corporate complicity in oppression and holding businesses accountable.
A spokesperson for Palestine Action said:
As all companies who work with Elbit should know by now, Palestine Action’s direct action campaign against them will not cease until their links with the Israeli weapons trade does. Allianz and Aviva must drop Elbit.
Allianz and Aviva’s aggressive legal stances only underscores the validity of Palestine Action’s campaign.
Instead of transparency and ethical responsibility, these companies have chosen to crack down on righteous resistance while remaining complicit in funding weapons used by Israel to kill Palestinian civilians and commit war crimes.
As public scrutiny grows, the insurance giant may find that silencing activists will not make the truth disappear.
Featured image via the Canary
