Two RAF planes damaged by pro-Palestine activists ‘to disrupt UK support for Israel’

Two planes at an RAF base in Oxfordshire were damaged activists, who say the aircraft are indirectly used to commit genocide in Palestine.

Palestine Action said they broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and damaged two RAF Voyager aircraft.

They claim the planes depart daily to Akrotiri in Cyprus, and ‘from there collect intelligence, refuel fighter jets and transport weapons to commit genocide in Gaza’.

The said two activists rode up to the planes on electric scooters and used ‘repurposed fire extinguishers to spray red paint into the turbine engines of two Airbus Voyagers’.

The group, who said the red paint symbolised Palestinian blood, claimed they also used crowbars to cause further damage.

In a statement Palestine Action said: ‘Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets. Britain isn’t just complicit, it’s an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East.

‘By decommissioning two military planes, Palestine Action have directly intervened in the genocide and prevented crimes against the Palestinian people.’

According to the UK Defence Journal, defence sources said this was ‘inaccurate’ and that RAF Voyagers based at Brize Norton are primarily used to support Operation Shader, the UK’s ongoing mission against Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

They said the aircrafts were not used to support Israeli operations.

Palestine Action said they managed to carry out the aircraft damage without being detected.

In October 2023, the group sprayed the BBC’s head quarters in London with red paint over what it said was biased coverage in favour of Israel.

The UK currently allows British firms to sell weapons to Israel, including parts of lethal F-16 fighter jets, despite repeated calls by pro-Palestine campaigners to ban the sales.

Figures released in May revealed that licensed arms exports to Israel increased from less than £30,000 in the first quarter of 2024 to £127.6m in the final quarter.

In September last year the UK government suspended around 30 out of 350 weapons export licences to Israel, were it said the weapons could be used in Gaza to violate international law.

Human rights group Amnesty International UK described the measures as’too limited’.

Defence Secretary John Healey insisted at the time that the UK remained a ‘staunch ally’ of Israel.

More than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its attack on Gaza in October 2023, according to Gaza health officials.

The Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: ‘We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets. We are working closely with the police who are investigating.

‘Our Armed Forces represent the very best of Britain. They put their lives on the line for us, and their display of duty, dedication and selfless personal sacrifice are an inspiration to us all. It is our responsibility to support those who defend us.’

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