A LANCASHIRE aerospace giant which helps manufacture jets used by the Israeli military has been condemned by campaigners as putting "profits ahead of Palestinian lives."

BAE Systems, which maintains major sites in Samlesbury and Wharton, manufactures a range of arms and defence equipment which are also sold to international customers including the Israeli state.

This has already prompted local protests, such as that seen at the Samlesbury site last week, with the Campaign Against the Arms Trade now releasing more information about the use of the Lancashire company's products in Israel and Palestine.

CAAT spokesperson Andrew Smith said: "The bombing of Gaza killed hundreds of people and exacerbated the humanitarian crisis that Palestinians are living through.

"It may have taken place thousands of miles away, but the arms industry is a global industry, and weapons being used are made in towns and communities around the world."

Since May 10 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, have been killed in bombing raids, prompting several protests in East Lancashire over the last month, with a rally in Blackburn on May 11 attracting hundreds of people, while a 'go-slow' protest in the town brought traffic to a standstill on May 20.

According to CAAT, BAE Systems has played a major role in producing the F-35 stealth combat aircraft which has been used in the bombing campaign, while the firm's own website claims that the Lancashire plants are essential to the construction of F-35s.

It reads: "The aft fuselage and vertical and horizontal tails, effectively the rear section, of every F-35 are built at our state of the art advanced manufacturing and assembly facilities in Lancashire, UK, and Adelaide, Australia."

CAAT says that the UK produces 15 per cent of the value of each F-35 stealth combat aircraft, 27 of which have been delivered already and which have been used in the bombing campaign.

The events in the Middle East prompted several protests in East Lancashire over the last month, with a rally in Blackburn on May 11 attracting hundreds of people, while a 'go-slow' protest in the town brought traffic to a standstill on May 20.

One such protest highlighted the local company's role on May 27 when hundreds of people gathered outside the BAE Systems site in Samlesbury.

Mr Smith said: "BAE Systems has a long and shameful history of arming and supporting human rights abusers and selling weapons into conflict zones.

"These sales aren't just numbers on a spreadsheet, they are potentially deadly.

"For decades politicians in the UK and around the world have spoken about the need for a so-called peace process all the while they have armed the conflict and put arms company profits ahead of Palestinian lives."

However, the company says that it is one of several firms working on the F-15 programme and that its activities are in line with global trading regualtions.

A BAE Systems spokesperson said: "BAE Systems is a key partner to Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor on the global F-35 programme.

"Our activities are subject to compliance with international trade control requirements, including US and UK trade control regulations, and our own responsible business trading principles.”