Pearson Engineering’s Armstrong Works site on Scotswood Road has been the subject of repeated protests from pro-Palestine activists since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, with calls for it to be shut down amid allegations that the site could be contributing to bloodshed in Gaza and the West Bank.
The company, owned by the Israeli state through Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd, has denied that it has produced weapons used in the conflict.
Petition
A petition signed by more than 5,000 people calling for greater transparency over the factory was presented to Newcastle City Council last September and subsequently referred to the UK Government.
People Against Rafael (PAR) told North East Bylines this week that it was calling for the closure and re-purposing of Pearson and its subsidiary Responsive Engineering, which are thought to employ up to about 200 people on the Scotswood Road site.
South Africa instituted proceedings against Israel at the International Criminal Court in December 2023 alleging genocide in Gaza. The case is ongoing.
Government response
In a letter to Newcastle City Council chief executive Pam Smith this month, business secretary Peter Kyle said that Pearson had not exported any controlled items, which includes military equipment, to Israel since the conflict began.
The Labour minister described the suffering Gaza as “intolerable” and said that the ceasefire announced in October was a “moment of profound significance, relief and hope”.
Kyle wrote that the UK had “one of the most robust and transparent export control regimes in the world”.
He added: “Like every UK company seeking to export controlled goods, Pearson Engineering is subject to these controls, irrespective of ownership. According to licensing records held by my Department, Pearson has not been granted a licence for export of controlled items to Israel and nor have the company used an open licence for such purposes since the beginning of the current conflict in Gaza.
“As you will be aware, where extant export licences covered items for the IDF and we assessed that they might be used in military operations in Gaza, these were suspended. This action was taken in September 2024, and was based on our assessment that these could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
“Any new licence applications since that time covering exports that likewise might be used in Gaza have been refused, in line with my predecessor’s statement to Parliament. We have not suspended all export licences for military equipment, as some are not for items for use by the IDF in military operations in Gaza.
“These include items such as trainer aircraft and components for missile defence systems, military-grade items for civilian use (such as body armour for journalists and NGOs), and components for military systems that are re-exported from Israeli companies to other countries, including NATO allies. The suspension does cover all items that we assess could be used in military operations in Gaza, with the exception of the special measures that we have taken with regard to exports to the global F-35 programme.”
Campaign group claims
This week, the PAR campaign group opposing the factory claimed that an AI-powered mine detection system developed by Pearson was being deployed in Israel.
It comes after the announcement of a deal last October for the ‘Threat-Sense’ technology to be integrated into US-based manufacturer Skydio’s drones.
Skydio drones were reportedly supplied to the Israel Defense Forces, according to Politico, in the aftermath of the October 7 attack in 2023. Skydio is partnered with Israeli defence company DefenSync.
Response from Pearson Engineering
Pearson Engineering denied the accusation. A spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Pearson Engineering makes equipment to detect and clear mines and explosives – and to overcome obstacles such as rivers or rubble – in conflict environments. This supports regions affected by conflict to return to normal as quickly and as safely as possible. Threat Sense is an innovative technology that supports this work.
“As confirmed in the Secretary of State’s recent letter to Newcastle Council, Pearson Engineering is a UK company, and all our exports are fully licensed and regulated by the UK Government. We operate in this regulatory framework at all times and none of our products, including Threat Sense, have been exported or used in the way that this campaign group claims.”
