As the trial of the Ulm 5 approaches, we take a closer look at Elbit Systems and how it powers not only the genocide in Gaza but also violence worldwide.
At the bottom of this page, you will find a link to an article about how you can get active against Elbit in Germany and support the Ulm 5 as best as you can.
What is Elbit Systems?
Founded in 1966, Elbit Systems Ltd. is Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer. As of 2026, it is the largest Israeli company by market value.
Elbit is the main provider of Israel’s drone fleet: its Hermes drones form the backbone of Israel’s military capabilities, enabling constant surveillance and targeted strikes against the Palestinian population. The company also produces a wide range of other combat systems—from AI surveillance technologies, to bombs and advanced systems for the military’s Merkava tanks.
Elbit has played a central role in the mass murder and displacement of Palestinians long before October 2023, through its ammunition, drones or surveillance systems. The company regularly markets its weapons as “battle proven”, a chilling euphemism indicating they have been tested in operations against Palestinians.
Since October 2023, the company has increased its deliveries to the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMOD) and its arsenal has been widely used in both Gaza and the West Bank.
Powering genocide and murder at the borders
Elbit is not only a key provider of the technology powering the genocide in Gaza, it is also a major global arms exporter. The company has subsidiary factories around the world and sells its weapon systems to numerous countries, including France, Germany, Azerbaijan, and Austria. The company’s weapons are deployed globally to hunt people at the borders or target dissent—as in Brazil, where Elbit drones were used to crack down on protests during the World Cup. Elbit has also sold weapon systems to Myanmar’s military junta following the 2021 coup and supplied tanks to the Duterte regime in the Philippines.
In the EU, Elbit has benefited from funding through the FP7 (2007–2013), Horizon 2020 (2014–2020), and Horizon Europe (2021–2027) programmes. In 2020, Frontex awarded €50 million to Elbit and IAI (Israel Aerospace Industries) to acquire drone technology for its border operations. As a reminder, EU border policies have killed more than 60,000 people between 1993 and 2025 alone, with Frontex being Europe’s main border police force and the EU’s largest agency.
And Europe is not the only region where Elbit is deeply integrated into the border surveillance apparatus: the company’s technology is also deployed in the US, where it supplies the Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) with autonomous, AI-powered surveillance towers at the Mexico border.
Elbit in Germany
Elbit acquired the German radio communication division of Telefunken, a company with a long history of enabling genocide, and rebranded as Elbit Systems Deutschland in 2020. The subsidiary is headquartered in Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, where it produces military communication devices, radars and laser target designators, among other technologies.
The company also maintains offices in Berlin and Koblenz, and has recently opened a branch in northern Germany, without publicly disclosing its exact location for fear of protests. It’s important to note that technology built by Elbit in Germany doesn’t stay in Germany, and that shipments to Israel have been documented.
Meanwhile, Germany is negotiating a multi-billion deal with Elbit for the purchase of up to 500 rocket launchers. The weapons will be produced in Germany and used to equip the German army as well as NATO partners, thus helping the country to reach its stated goal of becoming the biggest armed force in Europe.
This highlights the level of interconnection between Germany and the Israel military industrial complex: Germany purchases weapons from Elbit, builds Elbit technology on its territory, while also exporting weapons to Israel (Germany is Israel’s second-largest arms supplier after the United States).
Support the Ulm 5 and Shut Elbit Down
In September 2025, five activists entered Elbit’s Ulm offices. The aim of the non-violent action was to disrupt the flow of arms to Israel and stop the genocide in Gaza. Ever since, Daniel, Zo, Crow, Vi and Leandra have been held in pre-trial detention in separate prisons in south-west Germany.
Alongside trespassing and property damage, the Ulm 5 have been charged with membership of a criminal organisation, underSection 129 of the German Criminal Code. This charge carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison and has historically been used as a tool of political repression.
According to the lawyers and families, the activists are facing restrictive conditions and, in some cases, violations of their human rights, such as solitary confinement, restricted visitation and inadequate medical care.
The Ulm 5 need our support. Similar non-violent actions have been successful around the world—in the UK, for example, Elbit was forced to shut down branches following campaigns by Palestine Action. The activists of Palestine Action were recently found not guilty of violent disorder. Additionally, since 2009, several funds have divested from Elbit after sustained pressure from campaigners.
But in Germany, where any mention of the word “genocide” remains taboo and Palestine solidarity is consistently criminalized, support for the Ulm 5 has been limited, to say the least. What happens to them now is only the beginning and a template for how Germany will likely continue to punish political dissent—even when that “dissent” means fighting for human rights and the respect of international law.
How can you help?
For information and resources on how you can support the Ulm 5, see here.
