More than 100 pro-Palestinian activists caused over $1.1 million in damages at a Belgian defense facility this week in a raid that inadvertently disrupted aid to Ukraine, not Israel.

The group, affiliated with the “Stop Arming Israel” campaign, broke into the OIP Land Systems warehouse in Tournai around 4:50 a.m. Monday. Armed with hammers and spray paint, the vandals shattered windows, defaced equipment, and rendered dozens of armored vehicles temporarily inoperable. The company confirmed the vehicles were intended for Ukrainian forces fighting Russia—not for Israeli use.

The raid took place at one of Europe’s largest private weapons storage facilities. OIP Land Systems has played a key role in supplying Ukraine’s military since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

The protestors claim their attack targeted “Belgian companies with connections to Israeli armament,” citing the fact that OIP Land Systems is part of OIP Sensor Systems, a subsidiary of Israeli defense giant Elbit Systems.

But company president Freddy Versluys pushed back hard on those claims. “We don’t sell anything to Israel,” he said in a statement. “The vandals entered the hangar and damaged extensive equipment. The only damage they caused is a one-month delay in delivering the vehicles to Ukraine.”

Photos posted on social media by members of the group show the words “Stop Genocide” and “No Arms for Israel” scrawled across Ukrainian military vehicles, with shattered windshields and ripped cables visible in the background.

The Belgian Ministry of Defense and local police have launched an investigation. So far, no arrests have been reported.

The incident has sparked frustration from both Belgian officials and Ukraine’s European backers, who argue the protest misfired—undermining Ukraine’s defense efforts at a critical time.

OIP Land Systems has supplied hundreds of armored vehicles and surveillance systems to Kyiv over the past two years, and its Tournai facility has become a logistical hub for Western support to Ukrainian troops on the frontlines.

The raid also underscores the growing complexities of European defense supply chains in a time of escalating geopolitical tensions. While Elbit Systems’ ownership stake may make OIP a political target for some activists, the company’s operations in Belgium have remained focused on Ukraine.

Versluys confirmed that the company is working to repair the damaged vehicles and expects to resume shipments to Ukrainian forces by late July. “This was a reckless and misinformed act,” he said. “And unfortunately, the only people they’ve hurt are Ukrainians defending their country.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)