Kendal Peace campaigners have marked six months of asking James Cropper PLC to stop supplying materials used to build Israel's F35 war planes. They have been gathering for a vigil outside the town hall every Saturday since October calling for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, and on Saturday (31st August 2024) were again in Stricklandgate.
They say that it was February when they first learned that Burneside company, James Cropper PLC, is amongst those supplying components used to build F35 war planes including those used by Israel in attacks on Gaza. Since then, they have been urging Croppers to withdraw from any contracts which could result in their materials being used to make F35s for Israel, but report that they have never received any reply from the company On Saturday, they again displayed a banner with the message “STOP SUPPLYING GENOCIDE: NEVER AGAIN TO ANYONE”.
Spokesperson, Philip Gilligan said “We originally wrote to Croppers six months ago and have since made repeated calls for them to stop supplying materials that could be used to build the dozens of extra F35s Israel has ordered but not yet received from Lockheed Martin. James Cropper PLC has never given any response to our calls, but their latest publicity materials suggest that they plan to continue supplying materials for F35s. Their ongoing silence comes despite the fact that the International Court of Justice has judged Israel’s actions in Gaza, including many in which F35s have played a prominent role, to be plausible war crimes amounting to genocide. Israel's attacks have forced 1.7 million people from their homes and killed 40,000 people, including at least 14,500 children. They have caused an horrific health crisis and an ever worsening famine. CNN reports that, in just the first month of Israel's attack, their war planes dropped more than 500 deadly GBU-31 bombs on Gaza. It is truly horrifying to know that planes containing materials made by Croppers in Burneside have been responsible for so much death and destruction and are continuing to rain terror on people who can find no place of safety.”