Three pro-Palestine activists have ended their hunger strike after more than two months.
Heba Muraisi, Kamran Ahmed and Lewie Chiaramello have declared victory after the UK Government rejected an Israeli arms company’s bid for an multi-billion pound army training contract.
On remand for a range of alleged crimes, including disorder and criminal damage, the trio were part of a larger group calling on the government to break ties with Israeli firms.
In one of the longest hunger strikes in British history, Muraisi and Ahmed have not eaten for 73 and 66 days, respectively.
Chiaramello, who has a health condition, has fasted every other day.
In an Instagram post, the Prisoners for Palestine group said: “The decision to end their hunger strikes came as it was revealed that Elbit Systems UK was denied a vital £2 billion army training contract with the Ministry of Defence, a key demand of the hunger strikers.
“The abrupt cancellation of this deal is a resounding victory for the hunger strikers, who resisted with their incarcerated bodies in order to shed light on the role of Elbit Systems, Israel's largest weapons manufacturer, in the colonisation and occupation of Palestine.”
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 have been inspired, because we have been empowered to take action to try and realise our dreams of a free Palestine and an emancipated world.”
A fourth activist, Umer Khalid, re-started his hunger strike a week ago.
He has said he will also refuse water in two weeks if the government does not negotiate with him and other prisoners demanding bail.
The Times reports that a dossier given to the Ministry of Defence last year alleged that Elbit Systems UK had breached business appointment rules in preparing a bid for the £2.6bn contract.
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Raytheon UK, a subsidiary of the American defense giant, ultimately won the contract, a Ministry of Defence insider told The Times.
Earlier on Wednesday, protestors gathered outside Scottish Labour's headquarters in Glasgow to back the imprisoned hunger strikers, telling Anas Sarwar and Keir Starmer they were "supporting genocide".
The building in Tradeston was daubed with graffiti overnight, with the message "Labour cowards hide while hunger strikers starve" written in red paint.
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