Progressive and activist groups in Cyprus have joined an international campaign calling on Mediterranean ports to deny docking rights to tankers supplying jet fuel to Israel.
The international initiative, dubbed “No Harbour for Genocide (NHFG),” targets two vessels: the Overseas Santorini and Overseas Sun Coast.
These tankers, according to NHFG have been transporting military-grade JP-8 fuel from Valero Energy’s Corpus Christi refinery in Texas to Israel’s Port Ashkelon since 2014. The shipments, occurring roughly every two months, carry approximately 300,000 barrels each—enough to refuel an F-16 fighter jet about 12,000 times.
The most recent cargo departed Corpus Christi on 15 July 2024, destined for Ashkelon, with a planned stop in Limassol, Cyprus in early August.
Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, has called for immediate oil sanctions and an arms embargo against Israel. During a press conference on Thursday, she stated, “At this point, Israel has breached its international obligations to the extent that it justifies the urgent application of immediate and unconditional sanctions, which should first and foremost entail an arms and oil embargo.”
The campaign urges Mediterranean port cities to refuse entry to these tankers and calls on states to comply with their obligations under the Genocide Convention. It specifically references Israel’s alleged violation of the International Court of Justice’s 24 May order to cease operations in Gaza.
Campaigners are calling on the Christodoulides government to refrain from involvement in what they term “the worst genocide of the century.”
The call to action is signed by United for Palestine Cyprus, Genocide-Free Cyprus, afoa, Far Right Watch Cyprus, New Internationalist Left (NEDA), Anatropi, Alliance Against the Far Right, Fascism and Racism, Cyprus Peace Council, MERA25, and Initiative Against the Fascist Threat.
Reactions in UK, Spain
Parliamentarians in the United Kingdom have also reacted to stop the oil tanker from docking in UK-controlled Gibraltar.
The Guardian reported that a cross-party group of MPs wrote to David Lammy, the UK foreign secretary, asking him to intervene to prevent the tanker from refuelling in Gibraltar.
The MPs, including members of the Scottish Nationalists, Labour and Green parties, have urged the government to “prohibit and prevent Gibraltar being used as a haven for the transport of military fuel used in Israel’s assault on Gaza”.
Protests in Spain by trade unionists and activists have already resulted in the owners of the Overseas Santorini abandoning plans to dock in the Spanish port of Algeciras.
Campaigners said the Overseas Santorini was carrying military-grade JP-8 fuel, delivered as part of a contract with the US government, that powers F-16 fighter jets.
Thank you @GBCNewsroom for this coverage of Gibraltar's refusal to allow the Overseas Santorini, a ship carrying 300,000 barrels of jet fuel to Israel, from docking in Gibraltar.
— Global Energy Embargo for Palestine (@palenembargo) August 1, 2024
This GENOCIDE ship is now 4 days from Israel. The fuel onboard will be used for Israel F-16 & F-35… pic.twitter.com/gUaUd0JQZ7
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