In a surprising and unusual move, a cargo ship carrying materials and explosives used in military operations docked at the Egyptian port of Alexandria, with its final destination being the Zionist entity. Human rights activists and members of the Global Campaign to Return to Palestine expressed their shock at this outcome, especially since they had been working since August to prevent it from docking at any port. They successfully prevented it from entering ports in several countries, such as Namibia, Montenegro, Malta, and Portugal, only to be shocked by its arrival at Alexandria Port “ According to a special statement they made to the website of the Global Campaign to Return to Palestine“.

Several human rights and humanitarian organizations, along with activists supporting the Palestinian cause, monitored the ship MV Kathrin (registration number 9570620) using global tracking sites like MarineTraffic. They noted that the ship changed its flag from Portugal to Germany before docking at Alexandria on the evening of October 28, following campaigns aimed at preventing it from entering Mediterranean ports, as it was carrying a military cargo destined to fuel the “Israeli“ war machine in its genocidal war in Gaza and its military aggression against the Palestinian and Lebanese people, according to a statement from the BDS movement.

The Statement continued: “In addition to contradicting the officially declared position and widespread public sentiment, unloading this internationally prohibited cargo in Egypt conflicts with international resolutions and agreements calling on all countries to refrain from providing any type of support for crimes against humanity and genocide. International obligations require Egypt, under agreements such as the Rome Statute of the Genocide Convention, to avoid any indirect partnership that could be used to support “Israeli“ genocidal crimes.”

“The BDS movement, along with its partners, activists, groups, and transcontinental alliances, managed to persuade many governments, including Malta, to prevent the ship from entering their waters. Popular pressure also prompted the Portuguese government to open an investigation into the ship, which was flying its flag, leading to a demand for the removal of that flag. Ultimately, the ship replaced the Portuguese flag with the German one.”

The Palestinian National Committee for Boycott, the largest coalition in Palestinian civil society and the leadership of the BDS movement, is calling on authorities to investigate whether the shipments loaded with weapons and explosives destined for “Israel“ were facilitated through Egyptian lands and waters.

The BDS movement renewed its call for all countries to adhere to the UN Human Rights Council’s decision to impose a military embargo on Israel and to advocate for popular pressure to sever all relations with it. The movement urges labor and professional unions, including transport and shipping unions, to join hundreds of trade unionists contributing to isolating the “Israeli” colonial and apartheid regime by refraining from participating in arms transport.