RABAT (Agencies): The Moroccan authorities allowed an Israeli warship to dock in the port of Tangier to allow its crew to replenish fuel and food supplies en route from the US, after the Spanish government refused the vessel permission to use its ports. The decision by Rabat has been condemned by the National Action Group for Palestine in the kingdom.
“This was a violation of national sovereignty,” said the group. “An urgent investigation must be opened to determine responsibilities and to arrange consequences for those proven responsible for this condemnable act.” It added that the decision to allow the Israeli warship to use Moroccan port facilities showed “disrespect and insulted the feelings of Moroccans; [it was] a flagrant violation of the constitution, and a blatant attack on Moroccan culture and heritage.”
According to the group, in a statement seen by Al-Quds Al-Arabi, this step coincided “with the struggle of the Yemeni people and army to prevent Zionist ships from passing through Bab Al-Mandab and the Red Sea in order to limit or reduce the victims of Zionist massacres. It also coincides with Spain’s prevention of genocide ships from anchoring in its ports, which follows international conventions and court decisions.”
An Israeli online news site reported that the INS Komemiyut arrived in Israel from the US after stopping in Morocco to obtain supplies. It said that it confirmed this from informed sources as well as through ship records. “This deepens defence cooperation between Israel and Morocco,” the site added.
The vigils and marches that took place in many Moroccan cities on Monday in solidarity with Gaza also included slogans denouncing the Israeli ship’s use of the port in Tangier.
News agencies quoted diplomatic sources as saying that the ministry of foreign affairs in Madrid will refuse permission for any ship carrying weapons to Israel to stop in Spanish territory.