Spain blocks ship with explosives from India to Israel
Madrid: Spain has refused entry to a ship carrying nearly 27 tonnes of explosive materials from India to Israel to dock at one of its ports.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Denmark-flagged cargo ship Marianne Danica sailed from India’s Chennai city on April 8 and was headed to the port of Haifa in Israel, according to maritime tracking portals and Spanish media.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels on the issue, Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said, “This is the first time we have done this because it is the first time we have detected a ship carrying a shipment of arms to Israel that wants to call at a Spanish port.”
“This will be a consistent policy with any ship carrying arms to Israel that wants to call at Spanish ports. The Foreign Ministry will systematically reject such stopovers for one obvious reason: the Middle East does not need more weapons, it needs more peace,” he stated.
“We welcome the decision of the Spanish government to deny the transit authorisation of the vessel Marianne Danica, in accordance with Tratado (treaty) on Arms Trade and Spanish law,” Amnesty International Spain said on social media platform ‘X’.
Spain has been extremely critical of the rising civilian casualties due to the Israeli offensive in Gaza and, along with Belgium, has suspended arms exports licenses to Tel Aviv.
