In Tournai, the activists went further: “Around 5 am this morning, a group of around a hundred activists entered the company’s website,” said Freddy Versluys, CEO of OIP. OIP is entirely owned by Elbit Systems, the largest Israeli defense company. The company exports components to Israel, which would then return to Belgium. Pacifist organizations point out that, through this trade with Israel, the company would indirectly strengthen Israeli military capacity.
Freddy Versluys reports that this morning, offices were destroyed, as well as computer equipment. “In Tournai, we are mainly engaged in Ukraine. Tanks intended to be delivered to Ukraine have been damaged, which will lead to a delay of about a month.” The CEO estimates the damage at nearly a million euros and announces that he will file a complaint against X.
According to activists, the Mother of OIP, Elbit Systems, provides more than 85 % of drones to the Israeli army. “Elbit is the industrial arm of genocide in Palestine. The fact that this company has subsidiaries in Belgium and performs profits is unacceptable,” said Camille, one of the activists.
Several dozen police officers were deployed and dozens of people have suffered sometimes violent arrests, according to Stop Arming Israel. Still according to activists, this repression “reveals what are the government’s priorities. Instead of acting to stop the genocide, they repress those who want to stop the war machine.”
