Around 150 pro-Palestinian activists broke into the premises of OIP Land Systems in Tournai, Belgium, on 23 June, causing approximately one million euros in damage to military equipment destined for Ukraine, Belgian media 7sur7 and Israeli outlet Israel Hayom report.

The activists, dressed in white coveralls with their faces masked, entered the company’s warehouses as part of the “Stop Arming Israel” campaign, demanding Belgium respect the military embargo against Israel and impose sanctions on the country.

“People entered the warehouse with grinders and hammers,” OIP Land Systems CEO Freddy Versluys told Belgian media. “They vandalized our offices, destroyed computers, then headed to the workshops, where they severely damaged several vehicles. They completely went wild with paint bombs and hammers.”

The protesters targeted OIP because the company belongs to Elbit Systems, a major Israeli defense corporation. According to the activists, Elbit supplies 85% of drones and most ground military equipment used by the Israeli Defense Forces.

However, Versluys emphasized that OIP operates completely autonomously and “has not produced defense systems for Israel for twenty years.”

“We no longer sell anything to Israel, they have vandalized vehicles destined for Ukraine,” he added.

The attack will delay the next delivery to Ukraine by at least one month, according to the CEO. Since Russia’s invasion, the company has already delivered approximately 260 armored vehicles to the Ukrainian army, including Leopard 1 tanks previously used by the Belgian military.

“A next delivery is now delayed by at least a month. That’s all these Hamas sympathizers will have managed to accomplish with their action,” Versluys stated, announcing his intention to file a complaint.

Police from the Tournai area supervised the militants, supported by colleagues from the Borinage zone equipped with anti-riot armored vehicles. A federal police helicopter also provided reinforcement and flew over the activists. Some protesters who fled to neighboring villages were pursued by law enforcement. According to Stop Arming Israel, at least thirty people were arrested.

Read also:

• Russia concentrates 111,000 troops for breakthrough in this hottest sector of Ukraine’s front
• Ukraine has done its part for accession talks start, now it’s EU’s turn, Leyen says
• Ukrainian team unveils interceptor drone that climbs to 11 km altitude (video)