A trio of pro-Palestine activists have ended their “hunger strike” in prison after 73 days.
Kamran Ahmed, Heba Muraisi and Lewie Chiaramello all had something to eat on Wednesday night.
But as the three brought their fast to an end, they claimed victory over Labour.
Just days ago, the Government denied an Israeli-based defence firm Elbit Systems a £2billion contract – which campaign group Prisoners for Palestine said was “a key demand of the hunger strikers”.
A subsidiary of Elbit Systems had lost out to rival Raytheon UK for the contract to overhaul British Army training.
The firm was accused of breaching business appointment rules in a dossier given to the Ministry of Defence over seven months ago.
PICTURED: A masked protester holds a sign in support of the hunger strikers
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Prisoners for Palestine said in a crowing statement: “While these prisoners end their hunger strike, the resistance has just begun.
“Banning a group and imprisoning our comrades has backfired on the British state, direct action is alive and the people will drive Elbit out of Britain for good.”
Protesters had demanded immediate bail, the end of Palestine Action’s proscription and the closure of all Elbit sites in Britain.
As of Thursday morning, Labour had not given in to these demands.
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PICTURED: A protester holds a sign saying: ‘I am on a 24-hour hunger strike in solidarity with the political prisoners’
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And as well as the three who ended their strike on Wednesday, another four – Teuta Hoxha, Jon Cink, Qesser Zuhrah, and Amu Gib – have now all “begun re-feeding”, Prisoners for Palestine added.
Umer Khalid is now the last remaining hunger striker.
Mr Chiaramello said: “It is definitely a time for celebration. A time to rejoice and to embrace our joy as revolution and as liberation.
“We do this because of Palestine, because we’ve been inspired, because we’ve been empowered to take action and to try to realise our dreams for a free Palestine, for an emancipated world.”
A subsidiary of Elbit Systems had lost out to rival Raytheon UK for a Government contract to overhaul British Army training
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ARMY
Prisons Minister Lord Timpson has previously said of the strikers: “These prisoners are charged with serious offences including aggravated burglary and criminal damage.
“Remand decisions are for independent judges, and lawyers can make representations to the court on behalf of their clients.”
While on Elbit Systems, an MoD spokesman said: “The collective training transformation programme will modernise training for soldiers to ensure the British Army can face down the threats of the future.
“We will not comment further until a preferred tenderer announcement is made public in due course.”