Protestors gathered outside the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) on Monday to show opposition to the university’s collaboration with Israeli defence company Elbit Systems. The action was organised by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction Melbourne, calling for the complete boycott of ties with Elbit.
Elbit Systems is an Israel-based multinational arms and security company, which develops and supplies surveillance technology, land and naval systems, and electronic warfare suites, amongst other products.
As Israel’s largest private weapons company, Elbit has drawn international condemnation and divestment for supporting the continuing apartheid and oppression of Palestine. Elbit drones have been used to attack and surveil civilians in Gaza, and their electronics are used for an Israeli separation wall which was found to be illegal by the International Court of Justice.
In 2021, the Victorian government announced a partnership with the Australian branch of Elbit Systems, establishing a Centre of Excellence for Human and Machine Teaming in Melbourne.
Last year, RMIT announced a two-year partnership with Elbit Systems to develop drones for mass evacuations during natural disasters and other catastrophes. Elbit already provides digitisation technologies such as unmanned systems to the Australian Defence Force
Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Australia shared in an online statement: “BDS Australia condemns the Victorian state and Federal government’s and RMIT University’s collaboration with Elbit Systems and Elbit Systems of Australia and calls on all Australians to oppose and take action to stop arms deals and any research and training agreements with Elbit.”
Rand Khatib, USyd SRC Ethnocultural Officer, told Honi: “There is a strong moral principle that has been crossed when the education industry has intertwined with the military-industrial complex — but when examined under a microscope, it makes complete and utter sense.”
There is a growing trend of universities collaborating with military projects, with 4000 new places for the development of the AUKUS submarines. The University of Sydney itself has ties with Thales, an arms manufacturer notorious for suppressing union movements, complying with the war crimes in Yemen, and underpaying workers. Thales has also collaborated with Elbit Systems.
These deals, and the increased militarisation of universities, have been heavily criticised by activists at USyd and across the country.
Khatib elaborated, “RMIT University is outwardly supporting an Apartheid regime and the countless other human rights violations that Israel commits against Palestinians like the right to privacy.
“Elbit Systems are notorious for advertising and selling their weapons as being ‘field tested’ or ‘battle proven’ and it is well documented that they are always ‘field tested’ on Palestinian civilians. We, as the student body of the University of Sydney, demand an immediate cut of ties between RMIT and Elbit Systems.”
