Spain’s Sumar, Podemos condemn alleged arms shipment to Israel via Spain

The left-wing to far-left platform Sumar and its former ally, the far-left Podemos party, have pressured the government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to prevent Madrid from sending weapons to Israel on a ship that was due to dock in the south-east Spanish port of Cartagena, Murcia, on Wednesday.

The cargo ship Borkum, which flies the flag of Antigua and Barbuda but is owned by Germany, could be carrying weapons to support Israel’s offensive in Gaza, according to Irene Montero, the head of the Podemos list for the European elections in June, Euractiv’s partner EFE reported.

The ship would have “a port 30 km from the Gaza Strip” as its final destination, Montero said.

The imminent arrival of the Borkum on Spanish shores was also strongly criticised this week by the NGO Red Solidaria contra la Ocupación de Palestina (Rescop), which said the ship was carrying weapons destined for the Israeli port of Ashdod.

Podemos claims that “the identification codes of the containers” carried by the ship indicate that it is carrying “20 tonnes of rocket engines, 1,500 kilos of explosive substances, 12.5 tonnes of rockets with explosive charges and 740 kilos of propellant charges for cannons”.

The radical left party, which has five seats in the Spanish parliament, wants the authorities to detain the ship in the port of Cartagena and not let it sail so that it can be thoroughly inspected, La Opinión de Murcia reported.

Respecting ICJ decisions

Both Sumar, a junior member of Spain’s coalition government with the Socialist Party (PSOE/S&D), and its former ally, the far-left Podemos, have been clear of their critical stance on Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

Sumar filed its own complaint on Thursday with the Attorney General’s Office.

“The cargo (of the Borkum) corresponds to military material, and its final destination, after the planned stops for refuelling and loading and unloading, is a port of the State of Israel,” reads the complaint filed by Sumar, which has 31 seats in the Spanish parliament.

According to sources from the progressive platform, the complaint aims to prevent “the repeated commission of grave breaches of international humanitarian law” allegedly committed by Israel.

In its complaint, the left-wing formation refers to the International Court of Justice’s decisions that urge Israel and the international community to take all measures to “prevent the carrying out of the acts foreseen in article two of the Convention (on Genocide).”

Both Montero and her former Podemos colleague and current leader of Sumar, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz, have repeatedly described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide”, which has led to a sharp diplomatic rift between the Spanish government and Tel Aviv.

Despite the tone used by Sumar and Podemos, sources in the Spanish government told EFE that the ship was not on its way to Israel, assuring that the ship had all its documents in order and had been authorised by the Spanish port authorities to dock in the port of Cartagena.

Podemos calls Israel a genocidal state

Spanish Transport Ministry sources also claim that the cargo is destined for Italy, where it would be unloaded and transported by road to the Czech Republic.

However, Podemos is insisting that the ship be thoroughly inspected “so that it can be investigated how the Spanish authorities may have allowed the transit of a vessel with military material that is allegedly going to be used in a genocide”, according to Montero.

Since the start of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, Podemos has repeatedly called on the Spanish government to break off diplomatic relations with Israel.

Palestinian health authorities report that Israel’s invasion of Gaza has killed more than 35,000 people, mostly civilians.

According to Spanish media reports, Spain, Ireland, and other EU partners will likely recognise Palestinian statehood on 21 May.

(Fernando Heller | EuroEFE.Euractiv.es)

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