Spain denied port call for a ship transporting arms to 'Israel'
2 Min Read
Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said that Marianne Danica, the vessel, was transporting a cargo of arms to "Israel" and had asked for permission to call at Cartagena on May 21.
-
Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, on Friday, April 12, 2024 (AP)
Spain has denied permission for an Israeli-linked ship transporting arms to call at the southeastern port of Cartagena, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said today.
The Marianne Danica, the vessel, was transporting a cargo of arms to "Israel" and had asked for permission to call at Cartagena on May 21, Albares said.
He said that denying this ship permission to dock in Spanish ports aligns with Spain's policy to ban the export of all arms to "Israel" since the start of its war on Gaza in October.
"We have detected this ship, we have refused to allow it to dock, and I can tell you that this will be a consistent policy with any ship carrying Israeli arms and arms cargo that wants to dock in Spanish ports," Albares told reporters in Brussels.
According to El Pais, the ship was carrying 27 tons of explosive material from India's Madras.
Read more: UB senate passes motion to cut all academic, inst. ties with 'Israel'
Recognizing Palestine state European geopolitical interest: Spanish PM
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez cautioned, on April 10, that "Israel's" "disproportionate" war on Gaza could lead to destabilization in the Middle East, with global ramifications leading to instability in the whole world.
Sanchez emphasized that Europe's geopolitical interests are served by acknowledging a Palestinian state, a move that has faced resistance from "Israel" and its main allies.
During a trip to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, Sanchez broached the topic of statehood, suggesting that Spain might formally recognize Palestine as a nation by the conclusion of June.
"The international community cannot help the Palestinian state if it does not recognize its existence," Sanchez told lawmakers on April 10.
Since the commencement of the Israeli aggression on Gaza over seven months ago, the socialist leader has advocated for European acknowledgment of Palestine. In late March, Sanchez, along with counterparts from Ireland, Malta, and Slovenia, endorsed a joint declaration expressing their readiness to recognize Palestine as a potential step toward resolving the Palestinian struggle.
