Declassified UK has uncovered that Keir Starmer’s government held a private meeting with Israeli arms giant Elbit Systems in December 2024—months after the company’s drones were used by Israel to kill three British veterans in Gaza. The meeting, attended by three Elbit representatives and three Home Office officials, raises serious questions about the UK government’s relationship with the arms industry and its stance on pro-Palestine activism.
Documents obtained by Declassified through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request reveal that the Home Office is withholding key details about the meeting, including the identities of officials present and what was discussed. A recording of the meeting exists but, under a “mutual agreement” with Elbit, will not be released to the public.
This meeting follows a pattern of UK government engagement with Elbit, including efforts to suppress pro-Palestine activism in Britain. Under the previous Conservative government, the Home Office collaborated with Elbit to pressure police into cracking down on Palestine Action, a direct-action group targeting arms companies supplying Israel. Declassified has also revealed that Elbit runs its own “intelligence cell” in the UK, sharing information with police every two weeks.
Political Pressure and Surveillance on Activists
Palestine Action has faced increasing repression from UK authorities. Internal documents show that in 2023, Britain’s policing minister Chris Philp instructed Leicestershire Police to “support [Elbit’s] legitimate business” and focus on taking action against activists rather than protecting their right to protest. There have also been discussions within the UK government on whether to classify Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, despite the police acknowledging the group does not meet the legal threshold for proscription.
British officials, including former Home Secretary Priti Patel, have previously assured Elbit of government support, with Patel reportedly deeply concerned about Palestine Action’s growing influence. Following a 2022 meeting with Elbit’s UK CEO, the attorney general took steps to widen the government’s ability to prosecute activists. This legal shift has led to increased convictions and the unprecedented detention of Palestine Action members under counter-terrorism laws.
A Coordinated Effort to Silence Dissent?
These revelations highlight a troubling level of cooperation between the UK government, Israeli arms manufacturers, and British law enforcement to suppress dissent. The use of surveillance, legal maneuvers, and counter-terrorism measures against Palestine Action raises concerns about political interference in the judicial system.
Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, told Declassified: “There is clear evidence of collusion between government, prosecutors, police, the Israeli government and Elbit Systems in a bid to crack down on Palestine Action’s relentless direct action campaign.”
With 18 Palestine Action activists currently detained under counter-terrorism powers, calls are growing for transparency over UK government dealings with Elbit and an independent investigation into the validity of prosecutions.
