The Belgian company OIP, a subsidiary of Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems, is seeking €65,000 in damages in a civil court case against seven activists over the blockade of its factory in Oudenaarde on 4 March 2024.
On that day, over 50 pro-Palestinian activists prevented workers from entering the factory in protest against the company’s alleged ties to the Israeli military and its operations in the occupied Palestinian territories.
OIP claims the action disrupted its operations and has filed this lawsuit against seven individuals. However, none of the activists are facing criminal charges, as no offences were deemed to have been committed, according to their lawyer, Joke Callewaert.
Callewaert argues that the lawsuit is an attempt to intimidate young peace activists who aim to highlight human rights violations against Palestinians.
She criticised OIP and Elbit Systems, accusing them of having a significant role in what she described as the "genocide and occupation of Palestinian territories".
The protest outside OIP’s facility in Oudenaarde was part of a broader effort to denounce the role of arms manufacturers in the policies of occupation, colonisation, and apartheid imposed by Israel, the organisers said.
According to GRIP, a Belgian research institute focusing on peace and security, Elbit Systems fully owns OIP, which generated over €70 million in revenue last year.
Elbit Systems is identified by Amnesty International as one of the three largest Israeli arms companies.
The organisation accuses the company of supplying critical military equipment, including drones, allegedly used to target civilians during military operations.
