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The Intercept
10-05-2025
- Business
- The Intercept
Explosive Materials Bound for Israel Are Flying Out of JFK Airport
Americans know that the U.S. government and defense industry exports huge amounts of military goods to Israel — but they may not be aware that in some cases these shipments travel beside them. On Saturday afternoon, a cargo airplane carrying 14 tons of explosive materials bound for an Israeli weapons manufacturing company is expected to fly out of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Saturday afternoon, according to air cargo documents reviewed by The Intercept. The explosive material, grade A nitrocellulose, is a widely used industrial material that plays a key role in making ammunition — from sniper bullets to rockets. According to the air cargo documents obtained by journalists at Irish news site The Ditch and researchers with the Palestinian Youth Movement, 51 pallets of nitrocellulose are expected to be delivered to the Israeli weapons manufacturing company IMI Systems, headquartered outside of Tel Aviv in the city of Ramat Hasharon. The main client of IMI Systems, previously known as Israeli Military Industries, is the Israel Defense Forces. Saturday's cargo flight is the largest single shipment of explosives to pass through NYC's busiest airport. The cargo flight by Challenge Airlines Israel is scheduled to depart from JFK at 2 p.m. on Saturday and land in Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on Sunday, according to flight information. The manufacturer of the materials is not known, but the cargo's sender is listed as deriving from a Los Angeles ZIP code. While other weapons-related shipments have been sent from JFK to Israel, Saturday's cargo flight is the first confirmed shipment of nitrocellulose and the largest single shipment of explosives to pass through New York City's busiest airport, said journalist and lawyer Roman Shortall, co-founder of The Ditch. Previously, The Ditch has reported on other military equipment flown out of the JFK airport, including ammunition propellants, detonating fuses, tear gas, F-35 combat jet parts, and firearms. Explosive materials, however, typically have been shipped in smaller amounts in separate flights, Shortall said. The concentrated amounts of nitrocellulose on Saturday are notable and prompt safety concerns for both civilians and workers at the New York airport, the researchers said. 'Over almost two years of genocide in Gaza, JFK airport has served as the coordination point for the shipment of ammunition primer, small arms cartridges, detonators, and aircraft parts to sustain the Israeli military,' said Aisha Nizar, an organizer with the Palestinian Youth Movement, a Palestinian solidarity group that has chapters across the U.S. and Europe. 'These arms are threats to our communities here in New York, and show yet again, the complete coordination between the Zionist project and the U.S. ruling class, who are currently waging a war of extermination against the Palestinian people.' IMI Systems' parent company Elbit Systems and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates JFK, did not immediately respond to The Intercept's requests for comment. Read our complete coverage The Israeli military regularly receives billions of dollars' worth in weapons from the U.S., whether transferred from U.S. military stockpiles or bought directly from U.S. defense companies. During the first year of Israel's war on Gaza, the U.S. military sent $17.9 billion in aid to Israel. The majority of Israeli military aid from the U.S. comes through grants for Israel to spend on buying new military weapons and materials directly from U.S. companies, which helps fuel the country's weapons industry. Researchers with the Palestine Youth Movement have previously uncovered sea shipments of ammunition and other material to Israel from the U.S. Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point, or MOTSU, in North Carolina, including a Department of Defense shipment last year that violated Spain's arms embargo on Israel. A separate Israel-bound shipment of military goods by Danish shipping giant Maersk, which typically ships from Port Elizabeth in New Jersey, also violated the Spanish embargo. A media investigation into Challenge Air by Belgian news outlet RTBF has also shown the airline has transported weapons from the JFK airport to Brussels, then to Tel Aviv. Researchers with the Palestinian Youth Movement expressed safety concerns for workers and civilians posed by the highly flammable explosive materials. A U.S. Army report cited by the group described nitrocellulose as explosively equivalent to TNT. The group also pointed to China's Tianjin Port explosion in 2015 caused by nitrocellulose stockpiles, which had spontaneously combusted, killing 173 people and injuring more than 700 others. Both passenger flights and cargo flights at JFK share the same runways. Cargo flights can also be taxied to the runway while passing civilian planes and terminals. Since Hamas's attack on Israel in 2023, the Israeli military has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians in its incursion on Gaza, which has escalated in recent months after Israel broke its ceasefire agreement in March. Israel's war cabinet recently announced plans for the Israeli military to indefinitely occupy all of Gaza and displace Palestinians from the territory. It comes amid an Israeli blockade on all humanitarian aid — food, water, fuel, and medical supplies — in violation of humanitarian law. The final destination for Saturday's shipment of nitrocellulose — the Elbit-owned IMI Systems — is known to manufacture a wide range of weapons, such as combat vehicles, rifles, missiles, rocket launchers, and cluster munitions. Nitrocellulose is also used in industrial and medical materials, including paint or aluminum foil, and in medical settings to create topical ointments. Other companies ship weapons and military materials through JFK, including Lockheed Martin, according to The Ditch. While Challenge Air has been the main airline to fly such military goods out of JFK, U.S. transportation giant FedEx has also transported military goods through the New York airport. Elbit, Israel's largest arms manufacturer, operates across the globe, including in the U.S, the United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden, Switzerland and Brazil. Palestinian solidarity activists in the U.S. have protested at Elbit facilities in Virginia and South Carolina, as well as a factory in Merrimack, New Hampshire, where four women attempted to halt production.
Belfast Telegraph
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Irish Government accused of ‘false ignorance' on shipments of Israeli arms
Irish deputy premier Simon Harris was handed a folder of what he said were aircraft inventories by an opposition TD who said there was 'no mystery' to the issue. He said that a 'robust' investigation was being carried out by the Department of Transport and added that any breach of Irish law 'cannot be consequence free'. News website The Ditch has reported that several flights carrying munitions to weapons manufacturers and contractors in Israel have travelled over Ireland. Permission is needed from Ireland's transport minister to carry munitions through Irish airspace. Mr Harris, who is also the Foreign Affairs Minister, said last week that he did not believe weapons being used in Gaza were being flown through Irish skies based on the information available to him. He admitted that it was 'a real challenge' to know what is being carried in planes flying above Ireland. On Thursday, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused the Government of 'false ignorance' and of 'pretending you don't know what's going on'. He produced a green folder of what he said were waybills that show 'thousands of tons of weaponry have gone through Irish airspace on the way to be used in a genocide in Gaza'. 'This is not a mystery. The airlines admit it.' He added: 'You want to know my practical solution? My practical solution is that the Minister for Transport should prosecute the companies. It's the law. They're currently breaking the law.' Mr Harris said that the Department of Transport is examining the reports and agreed that any breach of Irish law 'cannot be consequence free'. 'Irish law matters, I'm very clear in relation to that, as is the Taoiseach, as is the Minister for Transport,' he told TDs. 'If there have been breaches of Irish sovereign law, decisions will need to be taken on the next steps, based on clear and robust evidence. 'I think we also need to be clear here, and I this is the point I was trying to make, that if you know existing legislation doesn't provide for the implementation of a system of routine and random inspections, and rather, it requires that there first be an appearance of intention or likelihood for a civil aircraft to depart from a point in the state in a manner that will contravene the legislation, for example, carry munitions, I think it is a legitimate question for government to now consider whether we need to amend our own domestic legislation and whether more needs to happen internationally. 'So I'm very clear any breaches of Irish law, it cannot be consequence free, I agree with you. The Department of Transport is carrying out a robust examination of all of these matters and then will advise Government on what next steps are required.' In response to questions from Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan, Mr Harris said that 'no one is dragging their feet' and Ireland 'is not standing idly by' on Palestine. He said that he intends to call his EU counterparts in the hours ahead and see if they will 'echo' Ireland's call for the EU to review Israel's obligation to adhere to human rights clauses in its trade association agreement, which the Netherlands had called for on Wednesday. Mr Harris also said he had met senator Frances Black about her bill that would ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands. Mr Harris and Irish premier Micheal Martin had initially committed to passing the Ms Black's Occupied Territories Bill after it was amended to make it legally 'robust', but since then have suggested new legislation may be required. Mr Harris said that there is 'a narrow pathway' based on an advisory opinion from the International Courts of Justice, to legislate on banning trade, but Mr Harris said 'we have not yet been able to identify the narrow pathway on services, that's the truth'. Campaigners have criticised the move to ban the trading of goods but not services, which is estimated to represent around 70% of trade activity. 'It's not a policy position. It's a legal position,' he said. 'There is a need to make sure any bill can withstand the inevitable challenge that this will face.' He said his hope was that if Ireland brought forward such legislation that it may encourage other countries to do the same. 'If the EU refuses to act as a collective in relation to this, why don't a number of member states do what we're proposing to do here in Ireland,' he said.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Irish Government accused of ‘false ignorance' on shipments of Israeli arms
The Irish government has been accused of 'false ignorance' on reports of flights carrying arms to be used in Gaza through Ireland. Irish deputy premier Simon Harris was handed a folder of what he said were aircraft inventories by an opposition TD who said there was 'no mystery' to the issue. He said that a 'robust' investigation was being carried out by the Department of Transport and added that any breach of Irish law 'cannot be consequence free'. News website The Ditch has reported that several flights carrying munitions to weapons manufacturers and contractors in Israel have travelled over Ireland. Permission is needed from Ireland's transport minister to carry munitions through Irish airspace. Mr Harris, who is also the Foreign Affairs Minister, said last week that he did not believe weapons being used in Gaza were being flown through Irish skies based on the information available to him. He admitted that it was 'a real challenge' to know what is being carried in planes flying above Ireland. On Thursday, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused the Government of 'false ignorance' and of 'pretending you don't know what's going on'. He produced a green folder of what he said were waybills that show 'thousands of tons of weaponry have gone through Irish airspace on the way to be used in a genocide in Gaza'. 'This is not a mystery. The airlines admit it.' He added: 'You want to know my practical solution? My practical solution is that the Minister for Transport should prosecute the companies. It's the law. They're currently breaking the law.' Mr Harris said that the Department of Transport is examining the reports and agreed that any breach of Irish law 'cannot be consequence free'. 'Irish law matters, I'm very clear in relation to that, as is the Taoiseach, as is the Minister for Transport,' he told TDs. 'If there have been breaches of Irish sovereign law, decisions will need to be taken on the next steps, based on clear and robust evidence. 'I think we also need to be clear here, and I this is the point I was trying to make, that if you know existing legislation doesn't provide for the implementation of a system of routine and random inspections, and rather, it requires that there first be an appearance of intention or likelihood for a civil aircraft to depart from a point in the state in a manner that will contravene the legislation, for example, carry munitions, I think it is a legitimate question for government to now consider whether we need to amend our own domestic legislation and whether more needs to happen internationally. 'So I'm very clear any breaches of Irish law, it cannot be consequence free, I agree with you. The Department of Transport is carrying out a robust examination of all of these matters and then will advise Government on what next steps are required.' In response to questions from Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan, Mr Harris said that 'no one is dragging their feet' and Ireland 'is not standing idly by' on Palestine. He said that he intends to call his EU counterparts in the hours ahead and see if they will 'echo' Ireland's call for the EU to review Israel's obligation to adhere to human rights clauses in its trade association agreement, which the Netherlands had called for on Wednesday. Mr Harris also said he had met senator Frances Black about her bill that would ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands. Mr Harris and Irish premier Micheal Martin had initially committed to passing the Ms Black's Occupied Territories Bill after it was amended to make it legally 'robust', but since then have suggested new legislation may be required. Mr Harris said that there is 'a narrow pathway' based on an advisory opinion from the International Courts of Justice, to legislate on banning trade, but Mr Harris said 'we have not yet been able to identify the narrow pathway on services, that's the truth'. Campaigners have criticised the move to ban the trading of goods but not services, which is estimated to represent around 70% of trade activity. 'It's not a policy position. It's a legal position,' he said. 'There is a need to make sure any bill can withstand the inevitable challenge that this will face.' He said his hope was that if Ireland brought forward such legislation that it may encourage other countries to do the same. 'If the EU refuses to act as a collective in relation to this, why don't a number of member states do what we're proposing to do here in Ireland,' he said.
Irish Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Chay Bowes, an Irishman working for Russian state media, ‘deported' from Romania
Chay Bowes, an Irishman working for Russian state media, says he has been detained and deported from Romania having been labelled a 'threat to the security of the state'. Mr Bowes, who was one of the founders of The Ditch news website before parting ways with the publication, is a correspondent for RT, a Kremlin-backed television news channel, previously known as Russia Today. In a video posted online on Thursday night, Mr Bowes said he had travelled to Romania to cover the country's presidential election . The election, which is scheduled to be held on May 4th and 18th, is a repeat of the 2024 ballot after Romania's constitutional court voided the initial results following accusations of Russian meddling, which Moscow denied. READ MORE On landing at Bucharest on a flight from Dublin , Mr Bowes said several police officers boarded the plane seeking him out before he was subsequently detained and questioned. Mr Bowes claimed he was presented with a document by Romanian authorities which said he was 'a threat to the security of the state'. 'And on that basis, they were deporting me from Romania,' he said. 'I entered the country completely legally to do my job and this is really quite shocking.' The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware of reports of the case. Last year French officials warned the Department of Foreign Affairs about efforts by Russia to extend its disinformation activities into Ireland in the run-up to the 2024 European elections . A network of Russian websites and social media accounts was uncovered by French security officials who alleged Moscow was using it to sow discord in EU countries by exploiting grievances around divisive issues such as immigration . The Irish website featured stories about Mr Bowes and his praise for Russia, along with other material on Ukraine and immigration. Romanians are due to vote in a presidential election re-run that could propel to power ultranationalist George Simion (38), an outcome likely to cause unease in the European Union and Nato. The hard-right Eurosceptic leads opinion polls before the first round of voting on Sunday, five months after the original vote was cancelled because of alleged Russian interference. Moscow has denied the allegations. – additional reporting Reuters
Belfast Telegraph
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Pro-Palestine protesters breach perimeter at airport in Co Clare
The group Palestine Action Eire said three of its activists 'entered the airport runway' at Shannon in an attempt to inspect a US military plane. The airport suspended operations for an hour until 7.30pm. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Palestine Action Eire allege that the Omni Air Boeing 767-300 CRAF that landed at Shannon Airport on Thursday was aiding wars in the Middle East, including Israel and Yemen. The group said its claims are 'contextualised by The Ditch's investigative reporting', which it said 'confirms that US weapons and military personnel are regularly travelling to the Middle East', including Israel, via Shannon Airport. It is prohibited to transport munitions of war on civil aircraft across Irish airspace without an exemption from the transport minister. News website The Ditch has reported that several flights carrying munitions to weapons manufacturers and contractors in Israel have transited Irish airspace since October 2023. However, Irish ministers have suggested there is ambiguity on whether certain airlines require permission for their cargo. The group Palestine Action Eire is demanding that the Government stop allowing flights carrying weapons and military equipment through Irish airspace. A statement from Palestine Action Eire said the Irish government was 'literally fuelling genocide'. 'The government continues to allow troops and weapons through Shannon against the democratic will of the people,' it said. A spokesperson for the Shannon Airport Group said normal operations had resumed following an incident which required Gardai assistance. 'The airport suspended operations at 6.30pm and a number of flights were delayed as a result,' it said. 'The situation was promptly addressed by Gardai and operations fully resumed at 7.30pm.' On March 27, Ireland's deputy premier and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris said it was 'expressly prohibited' for civil aircraft to carry munitions of war in Irish territory without being granted an exemption. 'In 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025, no applications have been received or exemptions granted for the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft to a point in Israel,' he told the Dail parliament. 'Since October 2023, diplomatic clearance has been granted on a small number of occasions for US military aircraft to land in Shannon for the specific purpose of transporting senior officials travelling from the United States to the Middle East. 'Diplomatic clearance is subject to strict conditions, including that the aircraft is unarmed; that it carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it does not engage in intelligence gathering; and that the flight in question does not form part of a military exercise or operation.'
