Pro-Palestine activists protest Boeing weapons production for Israel

Around 50 pro-Palestine activists gathered in front of the Boeing building in Arlington, Virginia on Wednesday afternoon to protest the company's production of weapons that are being sent to Israel.

This week's demonstration - which was led by the Palestinian Youth Movement and organised with around 10 other organisations - is one of many of the many gatherings to protest Israeli policies toward Palestinians.

These include demonstrations outside Boeing buildings in Houston, Seattle and its international headquarters in Chicago.

"Today, we went out to start the conversation in DC and Arlington about the military-industrial complex," Rasha Anayah, an organiser with the Palestinian Youth Movement, told The New Arab.

"Arlington is a city where a lot of these things are sourced from. It's really the city where these military deals are signed," she said, referring to the offices of other weapons producers, such as Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and General Dynamics.

"We want to get this campaign against Boeing going. We have our eyes on them.

Anayah was made aware of Boeing's involvement of weapons production for Israel following the recent $735  million aid package for Israel's Iron Dome missile system last month. The State Department granted Boeing an export license for this deal.

According to a post on the Boeing website in 2020, the company boosted Israel's aerospace industry by $1 billion in three years, which included sales in defence technology - including DIRCM systems and the electronic warfare suite for the H-47 Chinook.

"It's our families that are experiencing this," said Anayah. "We're watching our people back home being removed from their homes, bombed. We are here. It's our duty as Palestinians in the diaspora."

The company website also states its seven-decade relationship with Israel.

Brooke Anderson is The New Arab's correspondent in Washington D.C., covering US and international politics, business and culture.