Exhibit 31.1

     CERTIFICATION BY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE
                           SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Joseph Ackerman, certify that:

         1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of Elbit Systems
Ltd.

         2. Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
annual report.

         3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this annual report, fairly present in all material
respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the
registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report.

         4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

             a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused
             such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
             supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
             registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made
             known to us by others within those entities, particularly during
             the period in which this report is being prepared;

             b) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
             controls and procedures and presented in this report our
             conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls
             and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this
             report based on such evaluation; and

             c) disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's
             internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
             the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant's
             fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has
             materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially
             affect, the registrant's internal control over financial
             reporting.

         5.  The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed,
based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial
reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the
registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent
functions):

             a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
             design or operation of internal control over financial reporting
             which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's
             ability to record, process, summarize and report financial
             information; and

             b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
             or other employees who have a significant role in the
             registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Date: June 14, 2004

                                      /s/ Joseph Ackerman
                                      -------------------
                                      Joseph Ackerman
                                      President, Chief Executive Officer and
                                      Director