Oxford University got another reminder of its complicity with Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza – as activists took to one building to protest its involvement.
Oxford University: drop Elbit now
Oxford students and local activists have once again took to action in a bold protest targeting the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University. This demonstration is in response to the University’s ongoing investment in Elbit Systems, an Israeli arms manufacturer implicated in the genocide of Palestinians, and to protest Oxford’s hosting of politicians deeply complicit in Israel’s genocide.
In an action organised by students and local community members, Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government was sprayed with messages of ‘DROP ELBIT’ and ‘FREE PALESTINE’, the glass panes on the building’s exterior shattered:
Oxford’s ties to Elbit Systems, which manufactures drones used by the Israeli military, have been a source of mounting criticism, and led to a previous visit by Palestine Action in October 2024, in collaboration with Oxford residents, targeting the University’s administrative offices in Wellington Square, to demand total divestment from Elbit.
The symbolic act of defiance comes the day before former prime minister Rishi Sunak is due to join the Blavatnik School’s Board, an individual infamous for his support for Israeli war crimes and genocide. The protestors view the involvement in University administration of Rishi Sunak, who gave his “unequivocal” support for Israel’s siege and massacres in Gaza, as part of a broader strategy to legitimize and perpetuate the UK’s support for Israel’s military actions, including the ongoing occupation of Palestine.
Palestine Action: students will be back
“We are here to send a clear message to Oxford: its role in funding and profiting from the genocide of Palestine cannot go unchallenged” said a spokesperson for Palestine Action:
Oxford’s investment in Elbit Systems is not just a financial decision, but a political one that supports the violence and oppression faced by Palestinians every day.
Elbit Systems is Israel’s largest weapons firm, responsible for production of 85% of Israel’s military drones and directly linked to documented war crimes against Palestinians of the most heinous nature.
Featured image and additional images supplied
