Namibia blocks suspected Israel-bound ship, says it won't support Israeli ‘war crimes, genocide’

Ship is suspected of transporting explosives to Israel

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Namibian authorities blocked a ship suspected of carrying explosives bound for Israel from docking in the country, according to a BBC report on Tuesday.

Namibian Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab said the ship had been “carrying explosive material destined for Israel, and was therefore prohibited from entering Namibian waters.”

“Namibia complies with our obligation not to support or be complicit in Israeli war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, as well as its unlawful occupation of Palestine,” Dausab stated, citing a police investigation.

The ship "MV Kathrin" began its journey in Vietnam and was suspected of traveling north toward the Mediterranean Sea before requesting to dock in Namibia’s Walvis Bay port.

The state-run New Era news website stated that Namibia had made “the courageous call” to take “a stand against the ongoing Israeli war on Palestinians.”

Local human rights groups had warned against allowing the ship to dock, citing concerns that Namibia could be implicated in alleged Israeli human rights violations during the war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza, as well as in Judea and Samaria (West Bank).

Dausab told New Era, “Upon receiving reports that a vessel may be carrying weapons intended for Israel, I addressed a letter to Cabinet, international relations ministry, works ministry, as well as the safety and security ministry, advising and reminding them of our international obligations, not only under the Genocide Convention but also as articulated in the recent advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).”

Namibia joined its close ally and neighbor, South Africa, in its much-publicized case before the ICJ, alleging that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

After the German government in January announced it would defend the Jewish state against the “genocide” charges, which it said had “no basis whatsoever,” Namibia attacked its former colonial power.

Namibia's president condemned the German government's “shocking decision” to support Israel, reminding Germany that it committed “the first genocide of the 20th century in Namibia in 1904-1908,” for which it has never fully atoned, according to the statement.

Germany had decided to defend Israel’s “genocidal and gruesome acts,” the statement alleged.

Although Namibia and Israel do not have ambassadors in each other’s countries, they maintain close economic ties, with Israeli companies heavily invested in Namibia’s diamond industry.