Massive Arms Shipment Intended for Hezbollah Intercepted by Israel Navy
(IDF Spokesman)
Roughly 500 tons of weapons, rockets, and missiles was uncovered aboard the cargo vessel “Francop” flying an Antiguan flag, which was intercepted and brought to the Ashdod port. The Israel Navy force which intercepted the ship included naval commandos, missile boats, intelligence and explosive experts.
36 shipping containers with 500 tons of weaponry were found on the ship disguised as civilian cargo, and hidden among hundreds of other containers onboard.
Israel Naval and Engineering Corps forces are currently unloading the containers and are sorting through the various types of weaponry found aboard.
The naval commando force boarded the vessel and conducted an initial search. The search was conducted in accordance with the usual search protocols as dictated by International Law.
Following the initial search and after it became clear that the vessel was carrying weapons, the vessel was directed by the Israel Navy to dock at the Israeli Ashdod Naval base for additional searches and a detailed inspection of the hull’s cargo. It should be emphasized that the captain of the ship agreed to the search. The Israel Navy conducted all activity without any force.
The weapons found onboard the ship originate from Iran, and were intended for the Hezbollah terror organization, for use against the State of Israel and its citizens. The weapons uncovered at sea last night constitute a harsh violation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1747 and 1701 that strictly forbid Iran from exporting or trading any form of weapons.
This is a well-known Iranian technique, taking advantage of cargo ships flying different flags in order to smuggle containers loaded with large amounts of highly volatile weaponry to terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah.
Following the necessary inspections of the boat, it is expected to be released.
The overnight operation was authorized by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense of the State of Israel. Commander of the Israel Navy, Maj. Gen. Eliezer Marom, commanded the operation from a forward command cell. The IDF Chief of the General Staff authorized the operation, after the confirmation of intelligence information gathered by the IDF.
Iranian-Exported Weapons Seized aboard the "Francop" by the Israel Navy
1. On the night between 3-4 November 2009, the Israel Navy seized the vessel Francop, which was sailing under the flag of Antigua and Barbados and destined for Syria with a planned stopover in Beirut. From an inspection carried out onboard, with the agreement of the relevant authorities, several containers of Iranian origin were found to be carrying weapons. A request was made for the vessel to sail to Ashdod port for further inspection. The captain of the ship agreed to this request.
2. UN Security Council Resolution 1747 prohibits weapons export from Iran. The existence of Iranian weapons in the containers represents, therefore, a severe violation of this resolution.
3. This violation is one of many violations of UN Security Council Resolutions by Iran. Iran continues to systematically ignore UNSC Resolutions, supplying weapons to terror organizations.
4. This incident proves once again that any entity that conducts business, directly or indirectly with the Iranian regime or with the Iranian shipping company IRISL, runs the risk of violating UN Security Council Resolutions.
The Francop, owned by the Cypriot shipping company UFS, was carrying containers marked IRISL (Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines), as can be clearly seen in these pictures of the seized ship in Ashdod port:
Photo:http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/slideshow/ALeqM5h3S0DqyLu9CfgcBASy2XHOGCk0IAD9BONONG0?index=0
Video: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8341737.stm
In the past few months, other ships carrying IRISL cargo, such as the Russian vessel Monchegorsk and the German ship Hansa India, were apprehended while smuggling weapons.
5. Under the guise of legitimate commerce, and by using ships, flags and ports of blameless countries, Iran is turning the Mediterranean into a base for its nefarious activities, with the aim of destabilizing regional security, as has recently come to light in the cases of the Monchegorsk and the Hansa India.
Countries should take preventive measures in order to protect themselves and their companies, as mentioned in UNSC resolutions. The designation of IRISL by the government of UK last month is a good example of such a preventive measure.
6. Iran is challenging the authority of the UN Security Council, and is mocking the international community and its institutions. Immediate and decisive action is required to stop the illegal activities of Iran and its partners.
7. Iran represents a strategic threat to world peace and stability. The international community must act resolutely against Iran's indefatigable efforts to achieve a military nuclear capability, to support terror organizations and suppress its own population. The Hamas test-flight of a rocket with an extended range of 60 km. serves as confirmation of the danger posed by Iran to Middle East stability.
8. As it appears that the weapons were destined for terrorist organizations in Lebanon, it seems apparent that this is also a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Despite UNSCR 1701, the transfer of weapons from Iran and Syria to Hizbullah is continuing unmolested, including the intent to transfer new and dangerous weapon types.
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US MUNITIONS DELIVERED TO ISRAEL (part 1)
2 April 2009
A massive consignment of US munitions was delivered to Israel in recent weeks, according to information revealed by Amnesty International. The organization received information that the Wehr Elbe, a German cargo ship, chartered and controlled by US Military Sealift Command, docked and unloaded its cargo of reportedly over 300 containers at the Israeli port of Ashdod, just 40km north of Gaza by road on 22 March.
The German ship left the USA for Israel on 20 December, one week before the start of Israeli attacks on Gaza. It was carrying 989 containers of munitions, each of them 20 feet long with a total estimated net weight of 14,000 tons.
Asked about the Wehr Elbe, a Pentagon spokesperson confirmed to Amnesty International that "the unloading of the entire US munitions shipment was successfully completed at Ashdod [Israel] on 22 March”. The spokesperson said that the shipment was destined for a US pre-positioned ammunition stockpile in Israel. Under a US-Israel agreement, munitions from this stockpile may be transferred for Israeli use if necessary.
Some of the white phosphorus artillery shells that Israeli forces fired into densely populated residential areas in Gaza last January, killing and injuring scores of Palestinian civilians, were from US-made stockpiles – as clearly indicated by the marking (M825 A1). Other white phosphorus artillery shells were also US-made, as were the overwhelming majority of the other munitions used by Israeli forces to commit grave violations of international law in the recent three-week conflict in Gaza.
Another US official told Amnesty International that the US authorities are reviewing Israel's use of US weapons during the Gaza conflict to see if Israel complied with US law, but no conclusion has yet been reached.
In the meantime, Palestinian civilians continue to die of wounds sustained in Israeli attacks last January. Two days ago Ghada Abu Halima, who had sustained deep burns from a white phosphorus attack on 4 January, died of her wounds. The attack had killed her husband’s father and four young siblings, including a one-year-old girl, and had severely injured her, her mother-in-law and several other children in the family.
(part 2)
Amnesty International said that the delivery should have been stopped and that failure to do so throws into question whether President Obama will act to prevent US weapons from fuelling conflicts and contributing to attacks against civilians that may amount to war crimes, as were perpetrated in Gaza.
"Legally and morally, this US arms shipment should have been halted by the Obama administration given the extent of the evidence showing how military equipment and munitions of this kind were recently used by the Israeli forces to commit war crimes," said Brian Wood. "Arms supplies in these circumstances are contrary to provisions in US law.
"There is a great risk that the new munitions may be used by the Israeli military to commit further violations of international law, like the ones committed during the war in Gaza. We are urging all governments to impose an immediate and comprehensive suspension of arms to Israel, and to all Palestinian armed groups until there is no longer a substantial risk of serious human rights violations."
The US was by far the largest supplier of weapons to Israel between 2004 and 2008. The US government is also due to provide $30 billion in military aid to Israel.
According to one US official, President Obama has no plans to cut the billions of dollars in military aid promised to Israel under a new 10-year contract agreed in 2007 by the Bush administration. This new contract is a 25 per cent increase compared to the last contract agreed by the previous US administration.
Amnesty International has reported in detail on suspected war crimes committed by the IDF and by Palestinian armed groups in Gaza. On 15 January, Amnesty International called on all governments to immediately suspend arms transfers to all parties to the Gaza conflict to prevent further violations being committed using munitions and other military equipment.
Forgot to name the reference:
Amnesty International, http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/us-munitions-delivered-israel-20090402
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