On April 22 a protest action was held in front of the Hilton Hotel in Adelaide Attended by 35 people, the protest organised by Action For Palestine, a newly affiliated club at the University of Adelaide. Among those who attended were people from the Eco-Socialist, No War, the Young Greens and Resistance groups. The Moore Street Day centre group (the Romeros), also attended as they did on Action For Palestine’s first action at the Festival Centre earlier this year. The Australian Friends of Palestine Organisation in Adelaide supported the action and provided many of the banners used by those at the protest.

The action targeted a meeting being held in the Hilton between the Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce and the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance, which is a partnership of Raytheon Australia, ASC AWD Ship Builder Pty Ltd and the Defence Materials Organisation. The AWDA was formed for the build phase of the project to build a number of Hobart class AWD vessels for the RAN. The DMO acts as the project manager for the project and represents the Department of Defence. Raytheon is the 5th largest arms corporation in the world and the world’s largest supplier of guided missiles.

Representatives of the AWDA were meeting with the Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce to network, discuss and promote business between these and other groups with the Israeli state and Israeli companies. In doing so the AWDA is complicit with the Israeli state oppression of the Palestinian people.

A small but committed group of people now exists in Adelaide who will not be silent about collaboration between Australian big business interests and the Israeli apartheid regime. My heartfelt thanks to all who participated.

Craig Nielsen,
Action for Palestine,
Adelaide