A spokesman for Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Friday that the ships Maersk Denver, which departed New York on October 31, and Maersk Saltaire, which left New York on November 4, will not be allowed to dock in Spain following suspicions that the ships are carrying weapons destined for Israel or potentially reaching it.
The move came after MP Enrique Santiago requested that the Attorney General take action, arguing that the ships' arrival would violate the country's criminal law.
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Maersk Saltaire and Maersk Denver
(Photo: Michael Schindler, John Clark, Marinetraffic)
“We are reviewing the information with the relevant departments that control the entry of goods into the country to clarify what happened,” a spokesman for the Spanish Foreign Ministry told the media in response to the investigation. “If the information is confirmed, all necessary measures will be taken. The ministry continues to call for stricter oversight to ensure full compliance with its decisions on this matter.”
In May, the Spanish government announced it would ban ships carrying ammunition and military equipment destined for Israel from docking at its ports. However, earlier this week reports from left-wing organizations and pro-Palestinian movements claimed that at least 25 U.S. weapons shipments to Israel stopped at the port of Algeciras between May and September this year.
European Parliament member Irene Montero stated, "We can clearly say that Spain is violating the law. The law on arms trade requires suspending approval for the transfer of weapons and ammunition if there are ‘reasonable indications’ that the material will be used to exacerbate conflicts, violate human dignity, or cause human rights violations. This means that even if the official destination of the military equipment is not Israel if there are indications that it could end up there and be used in a way that violates human rights, Spain’s government must also block its transfer.”
Last week, Madrid canceled a contract to purchase ammunition for its Civil Guard from an Israeli security company. "The Spanish government has upheld its commitment not to sell arms to Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza war. Although this was an ammunition purchase, the Interior Ministry initiated the administrative process to cancel the purchase," the Spanish Interior Ministry announced.
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