In a significant move, Spain denied docking rights to the “Marian Danika,” a ship loaded with approximately 27 tons of explosives, which was en route from Madras, India, to Israel. The incident occurred last night (Thursday) at the southeastern port of Cartagena, as reported by the Spanish news network EFE.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares clarified that the government’s policy mandates the rejection of any vessel carrying arms to Israel seeking to dock at Spanish ports. Albares emphasized that this is the first instance of such a policy being enforced, marking a notable shift in Spain’s approach to arms shipments to Israel.
“This is the first time we have taken such action because it is the first time we have identified a ship carrying an arms shipment to Israel wanting to stop at a Spanish port. Our policy is not to issue new export licenses for war materials destined for Israel,” Albares stated.
This move is part of a broader pattern of Spain adopting positions that could be seen as unfriendly towards Israel. Last week, Pablo Bustinduy, Minister of Social Rights and a member of the left-wing extremist party Sumar, urged Spanish companies operating in Israel to ensure their activities do not contribute to killings or human rights violations in Palestine.
These developments signify a potentially evolving stance within parts of the Spanish government concerning Israel and the broader region, reflecting heightened sensitivity to the complexities of the Middle East conflict.
