Palestine Action has been at it again. During the early hours of Friday 28 February, Aviva offices were targeted in Perth and Motherwell, Scotland. It is, of course, over the insurance giant’s complicity with Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Palestine Action: back to Aviva they go
Activists from Palestine Action Scotland covered both sides of the Aviva offices in blood-red paint to symbolise the company’s complicity in Palestinian bloodshed, spray painted messages such as “Drop Elbit” and broke window:
BREAKING: Palestine Action target Aviva's offices in Motherwell, Scotland.
Aviva provides the legally required insurance for Elbit's Israeli drone factory in Staffordshire to operate.
Without it, Elbit couldn't build engines in Britain to power Israeli killer drones. pic.twitter.com/pyAvs2iU05
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) February 28, 2025
BREAKING: Palestine Action Scotland target Aviva's offices in Perth.
Overnight, actionists targeted two premises belonging to the insurance firm in Scotland.
Aviva must stop providing insurance for Israel's biggest weapons producer. pic.twitter.com/I2XYuVdEpd
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) February 28, 2025
The two actions taken today in Scotland follow an occupation of ‘The Aviva Centre’ in Bristol last month by Palestine Action.
Aviva provide mandatory employers liability insurance for a Staffordshire-based drone factory UAV Engines, owned by Israel’s biggest weapons producer, Elbit Systems. Without it, Elbit would not be able to build engines which power Israel’s killer drone fleet. Elbit Systems manufacture 85% of Israel’s military drones, which are used to massacre people in Palestine and Lebanon, and are often marketed as “battle-tested” after first deploying them against Palestinians in Gaza.
Aviva proclaim to respect human rights within their social responsibility policies, but providing insurance for UAV Engines is a clear contradiction which should be immediately rectified.
In direct contradiction with facilitating Elbit weapons production, ‘The Aviva Business Ethic Code’ states: “Respecting our customers, colleagues, communities, partners and the environment is part of our approach to human rights. As a company, we have an obligation to ensure our business activities do not cause or contribute to violations of human rights of others“.
Not getting away with it
Palestine Action have also repeatedly targeted Allianz, who provide insurance for other Elbit weapons factories in Britain. Through targeted direct action, Palestine Action are applying necessary pressure to break the links which allow the production of Israeli weapons on British soil.
A Palestine Action spokesperson said:
By providing the legally required insurance for Elbit’s Israeli drone factory to operate in Britain, Aviva directly enables and profits from the genocide of the Palestinian people. Whilst direct action may seem like a rude awakening, it pales in comparison to waking up to missiles being dropped by Israel’s killer drone fleet.
Palestine Action will continue to target all those who facilitate the operations of Israel’s biggest weapons firm, Elbit Systems, until they cease ties.
Featured image via screengrab
