[Translated from Dutch to English by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

"Activists accuse Thales of supplying military parts to Israel. 'Bloody business'"

Activists across the Netherlands occupied business premises of Thales, which allegedly supplies war material to Israel. 'Closed due to complicity in genocide,' their banner reads in Hengelo. [...]

They [the activists] argue that Thales has blood on its hands: it would supply military components to Israel. Thales thus facilitates the killing of innocent Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, is the argument. [....]

The coalition of activists is blocking not only this Thales entrance in Hengelo, but also those in Delft, Huizen and Breda. For, among other things, Thales produces drones and military technology in cooperation with the Israeli military industry, the groups argue. "And the average Dutch citizen doesn't know that, that's what we want to expose. Thales is doing many other types of things, but is also in a very bloody business." [...]

This is apparent when spokesman Job van Harmelen responds by phone on behalf of Thales, speaking from the office, to how the company is receiving the demonstration and allegations. Is Thales Netherlands indeed making weaponry for Israel? Van Harmelen: "They [the activists] shout all kinds of things. But we don't go into what we do or don't supply to which countries."

Thales allegedly, say activists, supplied parts for an F-35. It is known that Hengelo-based Thales is an international leader in radar technology. Do they do the same for Israel? "I can only say that we comply with all Dutch and international laws," says the spokesperson.

'Closed due to complicity in genocide' hangs by a fence that activists barricade. Suppliers of factory materials cannot enter. Van Harmelen: "I don't want to respond to that, other than: we distance ourselves far from that, from that qualification. They are probably going to come more often. We live in a free country, so if they want to demonstrate, they can, as long as they stay neatly within the law. They did, but this insane shouting..."