SOMERSET Council has apologised to a firm that activists say could be providing weapons to the Israeli Defence Forces.

At a full council meeting on Tuesday, April 23, councillors voted on a motion in respect of a commercial investment property owned by the council at 600 Aztec West. 

Those in attendance voted to ‘explore ways of legally evicting’ Elbit, an Israel-based international military technology company and defence contractor, from the building, following three vandalism attacks on County Hall by Palestine Action protestors.

The motion included a statement that “the tenant Elbit UK [is] a major UK based provider of weapons to the Israeli Defence Forces, used in the current Gaza catastrophe."

However, Somerset Council has now apologised to the company, after Elbit Systems UK informed the council that the statement was factually incorrect.

An apology statement issued by the unitary authority on Friday, April 26, reads: "Elbit Systems UK Limited have contacted us to say this is factually incorrect and they do not supply weapons or military equipment to the Israeli Defence Forces or the Israeli Ministry of Defence.

"The council would like to apologise and withdraw the statement that Elbit Systems UK Limited supplies military equipment to the Israeli Defence Forces or the Israeli Ministry of Defence."

Councillor Brian Smedley (Labour councillor for Bridgwater South) proposed the recommendations to evict the company, which were seconded by Councillor Shane Collins (Green Party, Frome East).