Latest news with #militarycollaboration
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Chants of 'shame on you' yelled by pro-Palestine supporters during demo at RAF High Wycombe
Pro-Palestine protesters chanted ' RAF shame on you' as they held a demonstration outside an air base calling for an embargo on selling arms to Israel. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered along the barbed wire fence of RAF High Wycombe on Saturday afternoon at the protest organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Protesters held banners that said 'end British military collaboration with Israel' and '61,000+ killed, 600 RAF spy flights'. There were chants of 'RAF you work for us, Israel is not your boss', 'RAF shame, shame - killing children in your name' and 'RAF blood on your hands'. A large Palestine flag was erected in front of a replica Second World War Hurricane fighter plane outside the entrance to the air base, with organisers bussing in protesters from High Wycombe railway station. The demonstrators assembled outside the air base held a large red banner as they chanted 'we are the red line, UK for Palestine', with protesters banging pots and drumming throughout the protest. Speaking at the demonstration, Adnan Hmidan, chairman of the Palestinian Forum in Britain, said: 'The RAF is not just a bystander, it is a partner in collective punishment. 'It is a partner in ethnic cleansing and the most important thing is it is a partner in the genocide against the people in Gaza. 'Every war plane that reaches Israel with British parts or British support makes this country complicit in the killing of children.' Addressing the crowds, activist Andrew Feinstein said: 'For the last 22 months, there are more RAF spy planes flying over Gaza than there have been Israeli Air Force spy planes. 'That information then gets relayed to the IDF to inform what they call their targeting decisions, but we know that their targeting is totally indiscriminate. 'So, the people who sit in these buildings are the ones guiding the IDF around Gaza. That is active participation in a genocide. 'The people sitting in these buildings should sit for the rest of their lives in The Hague in prison for their participation in genocide.' The Palestine Solidarity Campaign said: 'On 16th August, as part of our summer of action for Gaza, we will be surrounding RAF High Wycombe, drawing on the legacy of protest at air bases like Greenham Common, and showing the strength of the public demand for an arms embargo.' A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: 'We are aware of a protest being planned to take place in High Wycombe today. 'We will work with the organisers, partners and the public to facilitate peaceful protest, balancing the rights of all and to keep our communities safe.' RAF High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire houses Headquarters Air Command and was originally designed to house RAF Bomber Command in the late 1930s. The station is also the headquarters of the European Air Group and the UK Space Command. Last weekend in central London, 15,000 people demonstrated peacefully in support of the Palestinian cause with only one arrest, the Metropolitan Police said, adding that 522 were arrested 'for an illegal show of support for Palestine Action on the same day'. The Metropolitan Police said on Friday that a further 60 people will be prosecuted for 'showing support for the proscribed terrorist group Palestine Action'. The force said this follows the arrest of more than 700 people since the group was banned on July 5, including 522 in central London last Saturday. More prosecutions are expected in the coming weeks and arrangements have been put in place 'that will enable us to investigate and prosecute significant numbers each week if necessary', the Met said. Last week, the Met confirmed the first three charges in England and Wales for offences against section 13 of the Terrorism Act relating to Palestine Action. Palestine Action was proscribed by the UK Government in July, with the ban meaning that membership of, or support for, the group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pro-Palestine protesters chant ‘RAF shame on you' at air base demonstration
Pro-Palestine protesters chanted 'RAF shame on you' as they held a demonstration outside an air base calling for an embargo on selling arms to Israel. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered along the barbed wire fence of RAF High Wycombe on Saturday afternoon at the protest organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Protesters held banners that said 'end British military collaboration with Israel' and '61,000+ killed, 600 RAF spy flights'. There were chants of 'RAF you work for us, Israel is not your boss', 'RAF shame, shame – killing children in your name' and 'RAF blood on your hands'. A large Palestine flag was erected in front of a replica Second World War Hurricane fighter plane outside the entrance to the air base, with organisers bussing in protesters from High Wycombe railway station. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign said: 'On 16th August, as part of our summer of action for Gaza, we will be surrounding RAF High Wycombe, drawing on the legacy of protest at air bases like Greenham Common, and showing the strength of the public demand for an arms embargo.' A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: 'We are aware of a protest being planned to take place in High Wycombe today. 'We will work with the organisers, partners and the public to facilitate peaceful protest, balancing the rights of all and to keep our communities safe.' RAF High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire houses Headquarters Air Command and was originally designed to house RAF Bomber Command in the late 1930s. The station is also the headquarters of the European Air Group and the UK Space Command. Last weekend in central London, 15,000 people demonstrated peacefully in support of the Palestinian cause with only one arrest, the Metropolitan Police said, adding that 522 were arrested 'for an illegal show of support for Palestine Action on the same day'. The Metropolitan Police said on Friday that a further 60 people will be prosecuted for 'showing support for the proscribed terrorist group Palestine Action'. The force said this follows the arrest of more than 700 people since the group was banned on July 5, including 522 in central London last Saturday. More prosecutions are expected in the coming weeks and arrangements have been put in place 'that will enable us to investigate and prosecute significant numbers each week if necessary', the Met said. Last week, the Met confirmed the first three charges in England and Wales for offences against section 13 of the Terrorism Act relating to Palestine Action. Palestine Action was proscribed by the UK Government in July, with the ban meaning that membership of, or support for, the group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Pro-Palestine protesters chant ‘RAF shame on you' at air base demonstration
Pro- Palestine protesters chanted ' RAF shame on you' as they held a demonstration outside an air base calling for an embargo on selling arms to Israel. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered along the barbed wire fence of RAF High Wycombe on Saturday afternoon at the protest organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Protesters held banners that said 'end British military collaboration with Israel' and '61,000+ killed, 600 RAF spy flights'. There were chants of 'RAF you work for us, Israel is not your boss', 'RAF shame, shame – killing children in your name' and 'RAF blood on your hands'. A large Palestine flag was erected in front of a replica Second World War Hurricane fighter plane outside the entrance to the air base, with organisers bussing in protesters from High Wycombe railway station. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign said: 'On 16th August, as part of our summer of action for Gaza, we will be surrounding RAF High Wycombe, drawing on the legacy of protest at air bases like Greenham Common, and showing the strength of the public demand for an arms embargo.' A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: 'We are aware of a protest being planned to take place in High Wycombe today. 'We will work with the organisers, partners and the public to facilitate peaceful protest, balancing the rights of all and to keep our communities safe.' RAF High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire houses Headquarters Air Command and was originally designed to house RAF Bomber Command in the late 1930s. The station is also the headquarters of the European Air Group and the UK Space Command. Last weekend in central London, 15,000 people demonstrated peacefully in support of the Palestinian cause with only one arrest, the Metropolitan Police said, adding that 522 were arrested 'for an illegal show of support for Palestine Action on the same day'. The Metropolitan Police said on Friday that a further 60 people will be prosecuted for 'showing support for the proscribed terrorist group Palestine Action'. The force said this follows the arrest of more than 700 people since the group was banned on July 5, including 522 in central London last Saturday. More prosecutions are expected in the coming weeks and arrangements have been put in place 'that will enable us to investigate and prosecute significant numbers each week if necessary', the Met said. Last week, the Met confirmed the first three charges in England and Wales for offences against section 13 of the Terrorism Act relating to Palestine Action. Palestine Action was proscribed by the UK Government in July, with the ban meaning that membership of, or support for, the group is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison, under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Arab News
30-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan plans naval, air collaboration in unmanned systems to boost indigenous capabilities
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's naval and air forces will be undertaking a strategic collaboration to advance indigenous capabilities in unmanned warfare systems, the country's military said on Monday, citing Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf. The development comes weeks after a four-day military standoff between Pakistan and India, in which the two countries traded fighter jet, missile, drone and artillery fire, leaving 70 people dead on both sides before a United States-brokered ceasefire on May 10. The fighting in May marked the first time New Delhi and Islamabad utilized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at scale against each other, with defense analysts expecting increased use of UAVs by them in future as small-scale drone attacks can strike targets without risking personnel or provoking uncontrollable escalation. During a visit to Pakistan Air Force's (PAF) Air War College Institute in Karachi, Naval Chief Ashraf announced the initiation of more frequent, integrated joint operational exercises with PAF, aimed at further reinforcing synergy and interoperability between the two services. 'The Naval Chief also highlighted the transformative role of technological innovation in contemporary conflicts. Citing the growing significance of Unmanned Aerial Systems, he highlighted an upcoming strategic collaboration between the National Aerospace Science & Technology Park (NASTP) and Pakistan Maritime Science & Technology Park (PMSTP),' the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military's media wing, said in a statement. 'This partnership, he noted, will focus on advancing indigenous capabilities in unmanned systems, thereby bolstering Pakistan's technological self-reliance and operational edge in the defense sector.' The development comes as the two South Asian neighbors, which spent more than $96 billion on defense last year, appear to be locked in a drones arms race. India plans to invest heavily in local industry and could spend as much as $470 million on UAVs over the next 12 to 24 months, roughly three times pre-conflict levels, Smit Shah of Drone Federation India, which represents over 550 companies and regularly interacts with the government, told Reuters last month. The PAF, meanwhile, is pushing to acquire more UAVs as it seeks to avoid risking its high-end aircraft, Reuters quoted a Pakistani source familiar with the matter as saying. Pakistan and India both deployed cutting-edge 4.5 generation fighter jets during the latest clashes but cash-strapped Islamabad only has about 20 high-end Chinese-made J-10 fighters compared to the three dozen Rafales that Delhi can muster. Pakistan is likely to build on existing relationships to intensify collaboration with China and Turkiye to advance domestic drone research and production capabilities. Speaking to participants of an air war course in Karachi, Admiral Ashraf underscored that operational preparedness remains the cornerstone of triumph in modern warfare. 'He referenced recent developments along the eastern front as a vivid illustration of the critical need for constant readiness and strategic foresight,' the ISPR said. 'Emphasizing the imperative of cohesive national defense, he stressed the importance of inter-services collaboration in achieving strategic objectives.' India and Pakistan, bitter rivals since they gained independence in 1947 from British rule, have fought three wars, including two over the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir. The latest crisis was also triggered by an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-backed militants without offering any evidence. Islamabad denied the allegation.
LBCI
29-06-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Germany seeks Israeli partnership on cyber defense, plans 'cyber dome'
Germany is aiming to establish a joint German-Israeli cyber research center and deepen collaboration between the two countries' intelligence and security agencies, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said Sunday. Germany is among Israel's closest allies in Europe, and Berlin has increasingly looked to draw upon Israel's defense expertise as it boosts its military capabilities and contributions to NATO in the face of perceived growing threats from Russia and China. "Military defense alone is not sufficient for this turning point in security. A significant upgrade in civil defense is also essential to strengthen our overall defensive capabilities," Dobrindt said during a visit to Israel, as reported by Germany's Bild newspaper. Dobrindt, who was appointed by new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz last month, arrived in Israel on Saturday. Reuters
