The UK has banned Israeli students from the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), a prestigious British defence academy, due to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.

We’re excited to see this event coming up next Wednesday at @housmansbookshop.bsky.social on ‘England's Military Heartland: Preparing for War on Salisbury Plain’ by our friends, @vronsta.bsky.social and colleagues. Wed 24 Sept, 7-8:30pm Tickets + More info➡️https://housmans.com/events/

“This year’s DSEI has been buoyed by newly swollen military budgets as states have fallen behind the US-led consensus on rearmament.” Rebekah Diski at the Stop the Arms Fair protest. ⬇️

MPs are demanding assurances that RAF surveillance data from Gaza is preserved – evidence that could later be used as evidence for war crimes. Read more from @middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social 

Today on World Peace Day, we reflect on the urgent need to challenge militarism and build security through justice, peacebuilding, cooperation, and care for people and the planet. https://www.forceswatch.net/

UK and Ireland announce new Northern Ireland Troubles legacy deal. The British and Irish governments have unveiled a framework to replace the controversial 2023 Legacy Act. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

👉NEW -- Britain trained Israeli soldiers fighting in Gaza by @john-mcevoy.bsky.social Exclusive: Declassified has obtained a list of Israelis who graduated from the Royal College of Defence Studies in London. We’re publishing it for the first time. www.declassifieduk.org/britain-trai...

Really important report by @responsiblesci.bsky.social. The evidence is clear that soaring military expenditure - and in particular NATO's massive planned increases to at least 3.5% of GDP - will have a severe climate impact, and will make efforts to avoid catastrophic climate change much harder.

A cross-party group of MPs and Lords has been shut down, after @declassifieduk.org  revealed it had taken money from a state-owned Israeli arms company, leading to an inquiry by the parliamentary standards commissioner.

‘Wages not Weapons’ - unions representing millions of workers have just sent a clear message against the government’s military spending hikes. 

New details on the UK Gov's militarism drive have been published this week in the Defence Industrial Strategy, announced at the DSEI arms fair. They are really pulling out all the stops to subsidise defence and security industries, and legitimise rearmament with the promise of a 'defence dividend'.

Join us to discuss how militarisation impacts #EU policies for climate & peace, with great panellists from European Network Against #ArmsTrade, @eeb.org, @obsmultinationales.bsky.social, &@nonviolentpeaceforce.org. more info & register➡️https://bit.ly/ENAAT1809 Part of #Demilitarize4ClimateJustice

Last week one of the two Elbit Systems factories in Bristol was unexpectedly closed. The factory had been a focus for direct action against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

👉NEW VIDEO -- They banned me, but let Israeli arms dealers in A major arms fair has been criticised by press freedom groups for refusing to let Declassified enter the event, which is being held for the first time since Labour took power. www.youtube.com/watch?featur...

Britain provides 15% of parts for the F-35 fight, which Israel is using to drop 2,000-lb bombs on the people of Gaza. Katie Fallon, CAAT's Advocacy Manager, gave evidence to the Gaza Tribunal about the centrality of the F-35 programme for supporting Israel's genocide in Gaza.

Protest works! Telford arms fair is to relocate following two years of persistent protest. Quakers are opposed to the arms industry, which enables violence and profits from suffering. Next week, join our actions against the DSEI arms fair in London.

DSEI starts next week- the “Super Bowl of the defence world.” War profiteers will gather in London next week to showcase weapons fuelling genocide. The UK government has banned Israeli officials from attending however Israeli defence companies are still invited.

🚨 DSEI (Defence and Security Equipment International) starts next week. One of the world’s biggest arms fairs - where deadly deals are made.  👉 Visit stopthearmsfair.org.uk for more information on how to get involved and take action.

These companies are among the hundreds more that will be exhibiting at DSEI, the UK's largest arms fair, 9-12th September. To find the full list we are compiling: caat.org.uk/data/arms-fa...

🪖NEW ARTICLE As the Labour Government enters its 2nd year we look at how the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme has expanded during their rule. “almost one tenth of the House of Commons is currently participating in an arms industry funded military cosplay fantasy.”

“If you want peace, prepare for war.” Forces Watch's Emma Sangster unpacks how the UK government’s recent security reports reveal an era of ‘militarist realism’ - a push to put ‘Defence’ at the centre of everyday life. Read more at ForcesWatch.net

Episode 2 of our ‘Future War’ podcast series is out now! @joejglenton.bsky.social speaks to the incredible @elizabethminor.bsky.social and @dronewarsuk.bsky.social about the rise of AI, autonomous warfare and drones. Available here - www.forceswatch.net/activity/the...

Ex-military Colonel speaks up against the genocide in Gaza👇🇵🇸 Retired British army officer Colonel Chris Romberg calls for an end to the criminalisation of ‘a legitimate organisation that has been protesting and acting against this genocide.’ www.instagram.com/reel/DNNznzK...

ForcesWatch was devastated to hear of the murder of Anas al-Sharif and his colleagues in Gaza on the weekend. Despite a record number of journalists murdered in Gaza, their mark on the world will never disappear. www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/...

Inaccurate, partial and unevidenced claims were made in the press about a decision to not have military equipment present at York Armed Forces Day, ForcesWatch’s @joejglenton.bsky.social, a York resident, reports. Read now - www.forceswatch.net/comment/york...

"Our shared cultural memory must be wearing exceedingly thin if we, as a society, are ready to accept our sons and daughters being shipped off to fight in another brutal and fruitless war" Check out this pertinent & powerful analysis by @conorbollins.bsky.social labouroutlook.org/2025/06/26/d...

Incredibly strong article by Richard Reeve at @rethinkingsecurity.bsky.social regarding the dangerous and short-sighted miscalculations in Labours new Security Strategy. rethinkingsecurity.org.uk/2025/07/09/d...

Having worked in The Pentagon and at the highest level of US military and foreign policy, Episode 1 of our ‘Future War’ podcast series is off to a momentous start with our first guest, Matthew Hoh. Listen Here - https://www.forceswatch.net/activity/the-warrior-nation-podcast/

Season 6 of The Warrior Nation Podcast has officially launched! 🚀💥 Listen to episode 1 with Matthew Hoh now - https://www.forceswatch.net/activity/the-warrior-nation-podcast/ ‘Finding hope in a world at war’

"The Royal Air Force (RAF) has been sending spy flights over Gaza to gather intelligence for Israel since December 2023 ... Remarkably, the Foreign Office team which reviews Israel’s compliance with International Humanitarian Law has seemingly not reviewed or even requested the RAF’s spy footage."

“It’s disturbing to see how events like Armed Forces Day are used to manufacture consent for war and militarism.” morningstaronline.co.uk/article/thre...

We have deep concerns about government plans to designate Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. Nonviolent protest, and even acts of vandalism, should not be labelled as terrorism. Civil disobedience has been a powerful force for positive social change. www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-eve...

These brave actions were not terrorism then, and they are not terrorism now. Nor were these en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seeds_o... Or these en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairfor... Juries have agreed in many cases. novaramedia.com/2025/06/27/w...

Across the UK, Armed Forces Day is being met by protests, stalls and peace vigils - countering militarism and uncritical support for war - planned in over 50 locations. That's three times as many as last year! War is not family entertainment!! www.forceswatch.net/news/record-...

A long standing concern of ours has been the handling of military weapons by very young children at Armed Forces Day events and others like it. Find out about our work resisting Armed Forces Day under the resources section of our website: www.forceswatch.net/resources/

What’s behind Armed Forces Day? Celebrated this Saturday, we break down some of our key concerns in this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txvn... Find extra resources here: www.forceswatch.net/activity/arm...

🇾🇪🇵🇸From Yemen to Gaza: How can we hold the UK accountable in 2025?  ➡️ Join us for our exclusive film night + discussion: Thursday 19th June at 6pm (online)  Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/ynfbp5uy @declassifieduk.org @caatuk.bsky.social

Our very own @joejglenton.bsky.social commenting on UK arms sales to Israel in @declassifieduk.org this week. www.declassifieduk.org/permoid/

Our very own @joejglenton.bsky.social commenting on UK arms sales to Israel in @declassifieduk.org this week. www.declassifieduk.org/permoid/

No-one should be able to sign up until 18. "Research from the Child Rights International Network speaks to this, finding that between 2013-2018, army recruitment of 16 & 17 year-olds in England was 57% higher in the poorest 5th of constituencies than the richest 5th." @forceswatch.bsky.social

As we face a new era of militarisation, the alternative defence review mentioned in this article is an outstanding offering for peaceful alternatives. Thank you @cnduk.bsky.social for the work. Read here - cnduk.org/wp-content/u... www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

An update today: In a letter sent to Starmer signed by 800 lawyers, suspension of the roadmap is listed as one of five ‘concrete actions' the UK Government must complete in order to impose sanctions on Israel.  Full story / letter(s) below:  https://tinyurl.com/dths438z https://tinyurl.com/4cx5s7vk

Tomorrow evening - our friends at @rethinkingsecurity.bsky.social have organised this event platforming international stories of cooperation for sustainable security initiatives. Not to be missed!

Powerful personal statements from brave objectors to war and military conscription from Turkey, Thailand, South Korea, Ukraine, Israel, Russia and Cyprus. wri-irg.org/en/story/202...

This Conscientious Objectors day, our friends at the PPU are hosting a National Ceremony in London as well as other events across the country. Here, a Russian CO pleas for asylum rights for Russian soldiers refusing to engage in the war with Ukraine. www.ppu.org.uk/news/russian...

New article out now! 👉 www.forceswatch.net/comment/hope... In light of last week's VE day commemorations, Joe Glenton reflects on balancing hope and pessimism in a time on ‘luminous insanity'. #ForcesWatch #AntiMilitarism #Hope #Insanity

Shocking but highly important reporting from BBC panorama about UK Special Forces conduct in Iraq and Afghanistan. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Powerful reflections from Sheila Hancock on the horrors of WW2. In light of VE day celebrations, ’never again’ must truly materialise in efforts to stop conflict escalating now. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

You'll have heard the mainstream media and politicians panicking about the British Army’s recruitment crisis. But what if the problem wasn't about sign-ups at all? It’s a crisis of retention, not recruitment. Read our full analysis here: tinyurl.com/cfawz82s #armyrecruitment #antimilitarism

Read our new article addressing the army recruitment ‘crisis’ now ➡️ tinyurl.com/cfawz82s Rather than threats of national service and millions pumped into mass marketing campaigns, why don’t we ask why a military career is so unattractive in the first place?