Yaakov Aharon investigates. Published at Michael West Media –
Forward from Wage Peace: This article is included here in relation to our Wage Peace project which aims to orient campaigners on points of action and resistance to the transport of weapons to Israel, Gaza and other genocides. Please head over to Michael West for the complete article.
People in Woolongong have been strongly opposing Bisalloy steel exports and deals with weapons corporations. Bisalloy is collaborating with Rheinmetall for example which has a contract to send 100 Boxer armoured vehicles to Germany and potentially further then to Israel. Rheinmetall is also making 155 mm shells in Maryborough. It is very possible that Bisalloy will become a sheet metal provide for the 155 mm shells. At present they are imported from Germany then sold back to Germany as completed unfilled shells. 155mm Howitzer shells are all being fabricated at Mulwala. We say “Stop Arming Israel”.
In 2017, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and then Ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma travelled to Israel to sign an arms deal. This deal marked the beginning of a steep increase in Australia’s arms trade with Israel, which often relies on Bisalloy’s specialty steel as central to the supply line.
The International Court of Justice stated in July that it is against international law to arm Israel. It called on all Member States of the ICJ to apply strong diplomatic and economic pressure against Israel in order to bring about the end of the military occupation of Palestine.
While the Australian government has repeatedly denied that there is a two-way arms trade with Israel, Bisalloy has released numerous statements announcing that their relationship with the Israeli arms trade is as strong as ever.
In the past weeks, it was announced by the Department of Defence that 66 permits for two-way arms exports to Israel were under review, while 16 permits were silently amended or ended due to concern over the “very high number of civilian casualties” in Gaza.
Bisalloy’s shareholders
Between October 7, 2023 and November 14, 2024, Bisalloy Steel Group’s (ASX:BIS) shares have risen from $2.06 to $3.62, or 75%.
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As of January 2023, Turnbull & Partners Pty Ltd owned 2.372m shares (as per ASX disclosures), currently worth $8.4m. His company became a substantial shareholder in July 2021. Dave Sharma was obliged as an MP to disclose in December 2022 that both he and his wife had investments in Bisalloy.
The largest shareholder is Bisalloy chairman David Balkin, with 7.78m shares. Balkin served as president of the Jewish Communal Appeal from 2005-2011, where he remains in the roles of director and Honorary Life Governor.
Peter Smaller is the second largest shareholder. Smaller was the president of Jewish National Fund Australia (JNF) from 2012-2017, and remains a director of the charity. Further, Smaller is the executive chairperson of Southern Steel Group, which also owns Bisalloy shares while distributing raw materials to Bisalloy.
Both the Jewish National Fund and Jewish Communal Appeal are fundamentally pro-Israel organisations. JNF’s mission statement is “developing the land of Israel, strengthening the bond between the Jewish people and its homeland.”
A plethora of arms deals
In July 2017, Minister of Defence Christopher Pyne visited Israel to initiate the Australia-Israel Defence Industry Cooperation Joint Working Group.
On 31 October 2017, Bibi Netanyahu, Malcolm Turnbull and Dave Sharma attended the 100th anniversary of The Battle of Beersheba in Israel, where ANZAC cavalry charged Ottoman forces and captured the city.
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