Elbit Systems is a notorious Israeli arms dealer which profits from the killing, displacement, and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. Palestine Action has long been at the forefront of direct action against Elbit, shutting down multiple facilities, temporarily and permanently. Find out how to take action!

The Filton24 and Prisoners for Palestine

In August 2024, 24 activists were “imprisoned for alleged damage of weapons” at an Elbit facility in England. All of the Filton24 were denied bail, and many are still detained, and are set to be illegally imprisoned for up to two years before trial (in violation of the UK’s 6 month custody limit). This action and the arrests happened before the UK government designated Palestine Action as a “terrorist group” in July 2025. This follows the Canadian government’s decision to designate two pro-Palestine Canadian groups as terrorist entities, including Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network. Even this was simply a continuation of Canada’s racist weaponization of the “terrorist entities list”, which the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group describes :

“While ostensibly a tool to protect the safety and security of people in Canada and internationally, the terrorist entities list is an arbitrary political tool that undermines freedom of association, freedom of expression and due process in the courts. Its effectiveness as a national security tool has never been demonstrated in a manner that justifies its use….Historically, the listing serves to deflect from state-enacted violence by governments on their own populations, and on people in other countries, through military action and repression by national security forces and police, as has been the recurring experience during the long “War on Terror.” The list reinforces a double standard of allowing violence and the repression of civil liberties, in the name of fighting terrorism, on the part of Canada and its allies, while criminalizing reaction to that violence, or even peaceful criticism of that violence.”

The empire exists because of violence, and therefore its only tool to deal with opposition is more violence. That is why countries like the UK, Canada, and the US jump at the chance to sanction, imprison, and kill activists — while not only allowing, but facilitating the construction of 2,000 pound bombs and military jets that murder entire communities.

This is what we see in the arrest of the Filton24, and the continued support for Elbit Systems. Meanwhile, many of the political prisoners have taken drastic action in continuation of their solidarity with the Palestinian people. Eight activists chose to go on hunger strike. Three prisoners are in critical danger, with Heba Muraisi on Day 68 and Kamran Ahmed on Day 61 as of January 9, 2026. The prisoners are demanding:

1. End to all censorship of those imprisoned
2. Immediate bail
3. Right to a fair trial
4. Drop all terror-related charges and deproscribe Palestine Action
5. Shut Elbit down

“Many of us are imprisoned for allegedly taking action against Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer. Since 2012, Elbit has won 25 public contracts in the UK totalling more than £355m. Now, the Ministry of Defence is preparing to sign a £2.7 billion contract with Elbit that would designate it as a “strategic partner” and see the company train 60,000 British troops each year.

We demand that the government does not use taxpayer´s money to fund the machinery of genocide, and scrap this contract. Furthermore, we demand that all Elbit systems’ sites and its subsidiaries in the UK are permanently shut down.”

Elbit in the Canadian context

Canada is deeply complicit in Israel’s genocide in Palestine. Canadian institutions are also allowing and/or directly facilitating support for Elbit Systems. For instance:

• Approximately 41 shipments were sent to Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries from seven Canadian cities between October 2023 and July 2025. This does not include shipments from Canada to Lockheed Martin in Texas, that were eventually sent to Elbit Systems.
• At least 14 Canadian financial institutions hold investments in Elbit Systems.* This includes BMO ($7.3M), CIBC ($1.4M), National Bank of Canada ($400K), RBC ($2.6M), Scotiabank ($84.1M), and TD ($6M). CIBC, National Bank of Canada, RBC, and TD all increased their investments between the current and previous period.
  • This also includes two pensions, PSP Investments ($8.5M) and OMERS ($800K). Notably, PSP increased its investments from the previous quarter. La Caisse previously held investments in Elbit, but divested as of June 30, 2025.
  • Several investment advisors / hedge funds also have holdings in Elbit including BlackRock Asset Management Canada ($14.7M), Manulife Investment Management ($6.2M), State Street ($5.2M), Envestnet Asset Management ($2M), Fidelity Canada ($100K), and Global X Investments Canada ($100K). All but BlackRock slightly increased their investments this quarter.
• GeoSpectrum Technologies is a Canadian-based Elbit subsidiary, incorporated in Nova Scotia. GeoSpectrum develops acoustic systems for “maritime surveillance and exploration.”
• The Canadian government established 8 contracts with Elbit Systems and/or its subsidiaries in 2025 alone. This was more than in 2023 and 2024 combined. These 8 contracts are worth nearly $4 million. 3 of the contracts were for National Defense, with the remainder for Transport Canada or Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The largest contract was worth nearly $2 million and was for ammunition from Sparton, a US-based subsidiary. Elbit Systems is also still in the process of fulfilling previous contracts, including Elbit drones.

Shut Elbit down in Canada

It is past time for Canada to cut all ties with Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries. In line with the July 2024 ICJ Advisory Opinion and the subsequent UN Commission Paper, international law requires Canada to:

• Cease transfer / trade of any and all military goods (including but not limited to equipment, weapons, munitions, parts, components, dual use items and technology) until it can confirm that they are not “contributing to maintaining the unlawful occupation or to the commission of war crimes or genocide.”
• Examine all private enterprises and organizations including “trading firms, manufacturing enterprises, investment funds and banks facilitating money transfers” and “take all reasonable measures to prevent the activities, such as revoking a corporation’s articles of incorporation or revoking a non-profit organization’s registration in that State” if these activities maintain the unlawful occupation or contribute to the commission of war crimes or genocide.

As noted by Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, corporations are legally responsible and can (and must) be held to account. This includes key financial enablers including investments by entities like BlackRock, global insurance companies, and pension funds.

Calls to action

In solidarity with the Filton24 and those on hunger strike, we call on individuals and organizations to take action in opposition to Elbit Systems and the imperial states’ attempts to criminalize and kill those fighting for safety and liberation.

1. Send the hunger strikers’ letter to demand the UK government respond to the prisoners’ demands
2. Send a letter to Canadian banks and pensions AND another to Public Services and Procurement Canada
3. Follow and amplify @prisoners4palestine

Full Data

*These investments are largely based on Q3 data (holding date as of September 30, 2025). Some data is as recent as November 30, 2025.