UK under pressure to stop US tanker carrying jet fuel for 'Israel'
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The US-flagged tanker is bringing 300,000 barrels of gasoline to the occupied territories for "Israel's" F-16 and F-35 fighter aircraft.
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An Israeli F-35 lands at Ovda airbase during the bi-annual aerial exercise known as the Blue Flag at Ovda airbase near Eilat, southern occupied Palestine, on October 24, 2021. (AP)
Britain is under intense pressure to prevent a US tanker carrying jet fuel for the Israeli military from landing in one of the country's overseas territories.
The US-flagged tanker is bringing 300,000 barrels of gasoline to the occupied territories for "Israel's" F-16 and F-35 fighter aircraft, which "drop bombs on the people of Gaza," according to a group of UK legislators citing a UN probe.
Protesters blocked the US warship Overseas Santorini from docking in the Spanish port of Algeciras on Tuesday. According to Marine Traffic, the vessel then headed toward Gibraltar, a British overseas enclave.
A group of UK legislators, including members of the Scottish Nationalists, Labour, and Green parties, called on the government to "prohibit and prevent Gibraltar being used as a haven for the transport of military fuel used in Israel's assault on Gaza."
A cross-party group of UK MPs have urged Foreign Secretary David Lammy to block a US oil tanker carrying 300,000 barrels of jet fuel for Israel from docking in Gibraltar.
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 30, 2024
Protests in Spain led to the ship, Overseas Santorini, altering its course and is now set to reach… pic.twitter.com/pqgNd63qrt
They wrote a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, citing that "the jet fuel will be unloaded and used to fuel the Israeli air force’s F16 and F35 that drop bombs on the people of Gaza. The 300,000 barrels of fuel are sufficient for around 12,000 F-16 refueling.”
They also stated that the case for preventing Gibraltar's facilities from being complicit in Israeli crimes is "overwhelming".
Campaigners claim the ship is carrying JP-8 gasoline, a military-grade fuel that fuels F-16 fighter planes. The ship crosses the Atlantic every two months as part of a US arrangement to provide "Israel" with gasoline.
Newly-appointment Foreign Minister David Lammy is under pressure from backbench Labour Party members to announce a complete ban on arms sale to "Israel", which was speculated to occur this week, according to The Times.
However, the decision could take longer as ministers are aiming to suspend export licenses for specific weapons linked to the occupation's war crimes in Gaza, a probe that is expected to take weeks.
The contentious arms sales have strained the relationship between the UK and the occupation after the Labour government assumed power, countering the former Conservative government's lenient decisions and support of "Israel" and its ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Israeli authorities fear 'silent arms embargo,' UK policy shift
A "silent arms embargo" against the Israeli occupation slows weapons production essential to war efforts, the Israeli news website Ynet reported on Tuesday.
Israeli authorities are increasingly fearful of a possible termination of defense export licenses to "Israel" by the United Kingdom, which may lead to a domino effect in the West that would cut off essential supplies to Israeli military-industrial complexes.
According to Ynet, "Israel" is already facing a delay in the delivery of essential raw materials and equipment for a multi-billion military operational project. France has delayed an essential shipment for the project, which has postponed the expected date of its completion.
Such incidents have led Israeli authorities to search for alternative suppliers, with countries in Eastern Europe, South America, and Asia, such as Serbia and India, becoming prime destinations for Tel Aviv.
Partial slowdowns are also experienced in the development of other crucial military systems, such as the Merkava tanks and the Namer armored personnel carriers. These two top-of-the-line Israeli armored vehicles rely on 200 different local companies, some of which rely on foreign manufacturers, the Israeli media outlet reported.
