Moroccans Protest US Ship Carrying Israeli-Bound Weapons in Tangier

Protesters in Tangier’s port chanted, “Whoever welcomes Israel’s ships is not one of us,” denouncing the arrival of the vessel, the Maersk Denver, which docked on Saturday. The vessel initially attempted to dock in Spain, but Spain denied entry, with its foreign ministry affirming that it had not and would not grant docking permits to the ship.

The shipping line Maersk, which operates the vessel, denied that the cargo includes “any military weapons or ammunition.”

Morocco’s National Secretariat of the Moroccan Front in Support of Palestine, a pro-Palestinian organization, stated that Moroccan authorities disregarded multiple appeals to refuse the ship's entry. The group asserted that the Maersk Denver would transfer its cargo to another vessel, which would proceed to the Israeli port of Haifa.

“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,” the secretariat said.

The group further criticized Moroccan authorities, claiming this was the second time Rabat had allowed a vessel with alleged military ties to Israel to dock, following the arrival of the Israeli army’s INS Komemiyut in a previous instance.

The secretariat condemned Morocco's actions as “a shameful decision,” accusing authorities of “colluding with the US, the source of these weapons, and with the Zionist enemy army.”

The protest follows more than a year of intensifying hostilities that have claimed the lives of over 43,600 Palestinians, primarily women and children, since October 7, 2023, amid an ongoing Israeli war in Gaza. Additionally, the increased Israeli attacks on Lebanon have resulted in the deaths of at least 3,136 Lebanese people.

Human rights and civil groups argue that Rabat’s cooperation disregards the will of the Moroccan people, undermines relevant UN resolutions, and may constitute complicity in genocide.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) and other rights organizations have repeatedly called for a military embargo on Israel in response to the ongoing violence. By potentially aiding in the provision of weapons, Morocco’s decision may violate an ICJ ruling and the Genocide Convention, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese stated earlier this year.

In a letter to the UN General Assembly, Morocco had previously joined over 50 nations demanding immediate action to halt arms supplies to Israel.