Borkum Ship Transports Weapons to Israel, RESCOP Denounces

On Thursday, the Solidarity Network Against the Occupation of Palestine (RESCOP) and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Against Israel (BDS Murcia) called for a protest in the Spanish port of Cartagena in rejection of the arrival of the Borkum.

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This cargo ship with military material bound for Israel will stop at the port of Cartagena before heading to Ashdod, a port located 30 kilometers from the Gaza Strip.

The Spanish Government, however, denied that the Borkum is destined for Israel and assured that it can dock in Cartagena because it has all the documentation in order.

This vessel, which uses an Antigua & Barbuda flag and has a German owner, is heading towards the Czech Republic, according to official information.

"As RESCOP denounces, the Czech Republic is one of the largest sellers of weapons to Israel. It is evident that this is an intermediate stop and that the shipment will arrive in Israel for the genocide of the Palestinian people," pointed out Ione Belarra, the secretary of Podemos party.

"International regulations prohibit the facilitation of the transit of weapons material, both weapons and material that can be used for the manufacture of weapons, if its purpose is the commission of human rights violations," the Spanish outlet Diario Red recalled.

After analyzing the container codes, RESCOP found that Borkum is carrying 20 tons of rocket motors, 12.5 tons of rockets with explosive charge, 1.5 tons of explosive substances, and 740 kilos of cannon propellant charges.

“Among the leaked documents, there is a confidentiality clause that obliges any employee and any member of the crew not to mention any information that involves the name of IMI Systems company or that of Israel with the cargo ship,” the Diario explained, adding that IMI is a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, an Israeli company dedicated to manufacturing weapons.

“Given that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, as well as that there are rational indications that the cargo of the Borkum could be used to murder children in violation of international law, the government of Spain should inspect the ship, immobilize it until there is a definitive conclusion, and act accordingly,” said Pablo Echenique, a journalist and member of the Spanish National Research Council.