Barcelona court investigates two ships for supplying arms to Israel

A court in Barcelona is investigating the maritime shipping company, Maersk, for allegedly supplying weapons to the Israeli army from the United States during the last six months.

The complaint was filed by the 'Prou complicitiat amb Israel' campaign, as reported by the Catalan News Agency (ACN), and it requests the shipping company's offices in Spain to identify the captains of the vessels 'Nexoe' and 'Detroit.'

The judge had requested last Wednesday, although it was not reported until this Monday, that the two captains and the company's legal representative be called to testify on Monday.

However, it was not possible as the captains had not been notified in advanced, and the lawyers of the company were already attending other trials.

The judge called the captain to testify, coinciding with the docking of Nexoe at the port of Barcelona, and based on public information on Maersk's website, the vessel will remain in the Catalan capital until 7:00 pm.

The campaign against complicity with Israel denounces that through Spain's ports, there are a lot of vessels shipping arms to the Mediterranean country. "This is another proof that Spain's government has not filed any Israeli arms embargo, which is what they should immediately do," a statement shared by the platform reads. In fact, the group had already requested a judge to halt such operations back in April, but it was rejected.

The private prosecution believes the events could be tried as crimes of genocide, against humanity, and of arms trafficking.

A year ago, Spain was one of the several European countries that recognized the state of Palestine.

"No matter how many walls are erected, towns are bombed, and illegal settlements are built, the land and identity of Palestine will continue to exist in our hearts, in international law, and to the future project of a Mediterranean region in harmony," Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez said in Congress when announcing the measure.

It was a "historic" decision as Sánchez said that the "only way to move towards a solution of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel," he said on May 28, after recognizing the state of Palestine.