FORMER Tory government ministers were accused today of attempting to interfere with how police and courts dealt with Palestine activists who targeted factories owned by an Israeli arms firm.

The Palestine Action group has for three years been targeting Britain’s factories of Israeli-owned Elbit Systems.

The factories manufacture military drones, pilotless aircraft and other weapons which are supplied to Israel.

They have been blockaded, occupied and damaged by Palestine Action teams.

The direct action group says it has documents, obtained through Freedom of Information requests, proving that Tory ministers, when in government, met Elbit company bosses and discussed how Palestine Action activists should be dealt with.

Palestine Action said that the first meeting on March 2 2022 involved Elbit Systems UK’s chief executive Martin Fausset and then home secretary Priti Patel.

The second meeting on April 19 2023 involved Elbit Systems and then crime and policing minister Chris Philp, the group said.

“Both meetings focused on how the UK’s judicial system deals with our activists who carry out direct action against the arms manufacturer,” said Palestine Action.

“The objectives of both meetings were to reassure Elbit Systems that the government cares about the harm Palestine Action are causing to the Israeli weapons maker and the wider private sector.”

Palestine Action said that the heavily redacted documents show that one meeting was attended by an official from the Attorney General’s Office, said to be representing the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and that Home Office officials contacted the police about Palestine Action.

“These documents highlight collusion between government ministers, the CPS, the Attorney General’s office and a foreign private arms manufacturer,” said Palestine Action.

“The presence of such collusion highlights a clear abuse of power, with the government prioritising its relationship with the genocidal Israeli state over the democratic rights of its citizens.”

More than 100 Palestine Action activists were arrested and charged between the launch of Palestine Action’s campaign in 2021 and the Tories losing the July 4 election. 

Sixteen activists are in prison awaiting court appearances.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “These meetings took place under the previous government.”

The offices of Priti Patel and Chris Philp were invited to comment.