As New Delhi navigates diplomatic complexities, evidence emerges of arms and explosives transfers to Israel during the Gaza war, according to Al Jazeera.
India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI–Al Jazeera has reported that India has supplied arms and explosives to Israel which is indulging in a genocidal war with Palestine since October 8 last year. Israel faces a case of genocide against Palestinians in the International Court of Justice.
This is despite the fact that India has been favouring dialogue over military action to settle the issue, and supports two state solution: an independent Palestine alongside Israel.
According to Al Jazeera report, explosives and other ammunitions were loaded in the cargo vessel Borkum at Chennai sea port from where it departed on April 2. To ensure that it was not attacked in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthis who are targetting vessels carrying arms and other goods to Israel, the ship circumnavigated Africa. The ship was headed to Israel’s port of Ashdod, 30 kms from Gaza.
Al Jazeera claims that it has documents that the ship carried explosives that was loaded in the ship in India.
According to Al Jazeera, the Borkum contained 20 tonnes of rocket engines, 12.5 tonnes of rockets with explosive charges, 1,500kg (3,300 pounds) of explosive substances and 740kg (1,630 pounds) of charges and propellants for cannons. Al Jazeera’s claims are based on a documentation made available by the Solidarity Network Against the Palestinian Occupation (RESCOP).
But the ship’s commercial manager, the German company MLB Manfred Lauterjung Befrachtung, told Al Jazeera in a statement that “the vessel did not load any weapons or any other cargo for the destination Israel”.
The report says that the Borkum had arrived in the waters of Cartagena port in Spain on May 15 and wanted to dock there. Palestinian supporters suspected it to be carrying arms and explosives for Israel and asked authorities to inspect it. They said that allowing a ship loaded with explosives to Israel means Spain allowed transit of arms to a country indulging in a genocidal war against the Palestinian people.
But before the Spanish authorities could decide about inspection, the ship cancelled its planned stopover and left Cartagena.
According to Al Jazeera, one more cargo ship departed India which was denied entry to the port of Cartagena on May 21. “Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that the Marianne Danica left from India’s port of Chennai and was en route to Israel’s port of Haifa with a cargo of 27 tonnes of explosives. Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose Manuel Albares confirmed in a news conference that the vessel was denied entry on the grounds that it was shipping military cargo to Israel,” Al Jazeera claimed.
For more details, read: India exports explosives, rockets to Israel: Al Jazeera
