Were Rakon components in the bomb that killed at least 40 people
7 June 2024
Media release:
Were Rakon components in the bomb that killed at least 40 people – children and women included – at the UNRWA school in Nuseirat camp in Gaza? Highly likely
PSNA is renewing its call for the government to suspend exports of Rakon parts to the US defence industry following yesterday’s Israeli strike on a United Nations School in Gaza which killed at least 14 children and nine women.
The school housed thousands of Palestinian families fleeing Israel’s war on Gaza.
Rakon makes crystal oscillators used in the guidance systems of smart bombs. Their 2005 business plan says the company’s objective was to dominate "the lucrative and expanding guided munitions and military positioning market" within five years.
Rakon sends these “smart bomb” parts to US arms manufacturers which build the bombs which inevitably end up in Israel’s genocidal attacks on Gaza.
Al Jazeera analysis of bomb parts from the attack on the school indicates the bomb was made in the US by weapons manufacturer Honeywell. Does Rakon export directly or indirectly to Honeywell? We don’t know.
However, given Rakon earlier aggressive campaign to “dominate” the market for guidance systems for smart bombs, it seems highly likely the bomb that killed the people sheltering in a United Nations school carried parts produced at Rakon’s factory in Mt Wellington, Auckland.
Already the United Nations Human Rights Council has passed a resolution calling for a halt to all arms sales to Israel and two weeks ago the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to end its attacks on Rafah because of Israel’s indiscriminate slaughter of Palestinians.
Israel responded by launching 60 air raids on Rafah in 48 hours, killing dozens of Palestinians. The genocide continues.
However, by exporting parts for guided munitions and JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munitions) bombs which end up in the killing fields of Gaza means New Zealand is actively supporting Israel’s genocide.
Rakon’s statement regarding the Gaza genocide puts up straw arguments just to knock them down.
We have never claimed Rakon manufactures weapons nor that it exports products to Israel. We do claim the company provides crystal oscillators for use in the guidance systems of munitions made in the US which are then inevitably shipped to Israel. Rakon has not denied this.
An Amnesty International investigation released last December highlighted two incidents involving JDAM bombs which appear to be war crimes. Again it is highly likely the bombs used in these mass killing events (43 civilians killed – 19 children, 14 women and 10 men) had parts manufactured in Rakon’s Mt Wellington factory.
The UN’s Genocide Convention requires New Zealand to take action to prevent genocide.
The government must SUSPEND these Rakon exports and INDEPENDENTLY INVESTIGATE Rakon’s involvement in providing products for use in these guided munitions.
Nā,
John Minto
National Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
0220850161