In the night of the 15-16 April, activists targeted the buildings of the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB) with graffiti and posters, denouncing their role in the violence perpetuated against the Palestinian people.
As previous actions, activists reference BIRA-IASB's collaboration with OIP Sensors System on the "VENspec-H" project. OIP Is an Israeli-Belgian company that is owned by Elbit Systems, Israel's largest private arms company which supplies 85% of all drones, military ground equipment and ammunition to Israel's army.
This is the third time the BIRA-IASB buildings are targeted in the last month, as part of a broader, open-call campaign to "Shut Elbit Down". Previous communications shared to the press have stated that "BIRA-IASB is cooperating with ELBIT-OIP in the VENspec-H project. OIP is a subsidiary of ELBIT, the biggest Israeli drone producer. Hence, the technology and profits from OIP serve Israel's genocide. Working with ELBIT-OIP = supporting the genocide in Gaza, and the ethnic cleansing in the West Bank and Lebanon. We demand BIRA-IASB stop this collaboration."
As described on their website, OIP Sensors System specialises in the "design, development and production of customised electro-optical systems for both defence and space". In practice, this means it supplies weapon components, such as scopes for sniper rifles and assault rifles, night vision googles, radars and technologies that improves the targeting of military vehicles, airplanes and drones. To avoid trade regulations on weapons export to Israel, the components and it's technologies are listed as dual-use, being advertised as both for the defence industry and space industry.
On top of avoiding trade restrictions, dual use technologies allow OIP-Elbit to access research funding and transfer technological innovations within space development and research to the military industry. For example, the VENspech-H project with the BIRA-IASB focuses on developing components and technologies for geological activity on Venus that will be used by OIP-Elbit to further 'electro-optical systems' used in military operations. Camille said: "Instead of funding their own military research and development, the label of dual-use also allows OIP-Elbit to access public funding in form of grants and stipends, and to use the research competences of BIRA-IASB to massacre Palestinians."
Next to BIRA-IASB, several other companies and research institutions involved within the space industry have been targeted. Most notably, the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB) was targeted on the 18th of March in a similar manner, with a banner stating "VUB helps killing Palestinians. Stop collaboration with Elbit-OIP" from the roof of a building. Next to the VUB, Thales Alenia Space, Amos, Palantir and BNP Paribas have also been targeted for their collaborations with OIP Systems. On the website of Stop Arming Israel Belgium, who launched the call for decentralised actions, it is stated that "We call on all people who refuse complicity to organize actions against Elbit-OIP and its partners. We cannot count on the State to enforce a real military embargo on Israel. We must enforce a People's Embargo. Let's end impunity and break the war machine."