Defiant Moroccans protest US-flagged arms ship that docked in Tangier
Thousands of Moroccans take part in a protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza and against the normalization of relations between Morocco and "Israel", in Rabat, Morocco, February 11, 2024. (AP)
Hundreds of people in the northwestern Moroccan port of Tangier protested against the arrival of a US-flagged ship carrying weapons for "Israel", which is currently engaged in a brutal war in Gaza.
"Whoever welcomes the Israeli ships is not one of us," the protesters chanted during the demonstration on Monday, two days after the Maersk Denver vessel docked at the port.
The ship was en route to "Israel" after Spain refused to allow it to dock at any of its ports, with Spain's Foreign Ministry stating that it had not and would not grant docking permits for the vessel.
While Maersk, the shipping company operating the ship, denied that the cargo contained "any military weapons or ammunition," the National Secretariat of the Moroccan Front in Support of Palestine, a pro-Palestine group, criticized Moroccan authorities for ignoring calls to reject the ship.
The secretariat added, "This ship, loaded with weapons shipments, will unload its cargo onto another ship, which will then continue its journey towards the port of the occupied city of Haifa."
'Shameful' decision
The National Secretariat of the Moroccan Front in Support of Palestine criticized Morocco's decision to allow US-flagged ships carrying weapons for "Israel", calling it "shameful". The group reminded that this was the second time Morocco had opened its ports to such vessels, following the earlier docking of the Israeli military ship INS Komemiyut.
"The Moroccan authorities have colluded with the US, which is the source of these weapons, and with the Zionist enemy army, which is committing the genocide against the Palestinian people and the brutal aggression against Lebanon," the secretariat stated.
On the 402nd day of the Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, which has resulted in the killing of over 43,600 Palestinians, primarily women, and children, protests erupted in Morocco in response to the docking of a US-flagged ship carrying weapons for "Israel".
The protests also highlighted "Israel's" increased aggression against Lebanon, which has led to at least 3,136 Lebanese fatalities. The demonstration underscored growing opposition to Morocco's role in facilitating the transfer of arms to "Israel" amid the ongoing war in the region.
The secretariat emphasized that such actions "encourage the occupation entity to commit its genocide and aggression, disregard the position of the Moroccan people, and is a flagrant violation of the relevant UN resolutions," accusing Morocco of participating in the "crime of genocide against the Palestinian people."
These statements echoed concerns raised by human rights and civil defense groups, who warned that Morocco's decision violated a United Nations Human Rights Commission resolution and another resolution from the UN General Assembly. It is worth noting that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and several rights organizations have called for a military embargo on "Israel" due to its ongoing violations.
Earlier this year, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese stated that by contributing to the provision of weapons for "Israel", Morocco may have violated the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling and the Genocide Convention.
This decision comes despite Morocco's participation, along with over 50 other nations, in signing a letter to the UN General Assembly, which called for "immediate steps to be taken to halt the provision of arms, munitions, and related equipment to Israel, the occupying power."
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