A trio of House Democrats in the progressive “Squad” are calling for an end to the U.S.-led investigation into Israel’s arms embargo against a key ally.
Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Cori Bush, D-Mo., and Summer Lee, D-Pa., wrote about Spain to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), an independent agency that oversees maritime commerce affecting the US monitors “decision to deny entry into port to ships carrying weapons for the Israeli government and its ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
“This investigation is a reckless insult to our allies in Spain, who were simply trying in good faith to enforce their sovereign national policies and uphold international law, including its treaty obligations to prevent genocide,” the far-left lawmakers wrote.
“It is bad enough that by shipping these weapons, the United States is violating these same obligations and its own national laws. We urge you to immediately suspend this obstruction of justice and end this misguided investigation.”
Democratic Representatives Cori Bush (left) and Rashida Tlaib have been vocal critics of Israel. (Getty Images)
Spain, a long-time U.S. ally and NATO member, said it would stop selling arms to Israel when war with Hamas broke out in October 2023.
Since then, the Spanish government has been accused in three separate cases of refusing to allow ships to dock in its ports because these ships were allegedly carrying weapons destined for Israel.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares reported one of the incidents in May to state television broadcaster RTVE Associated Press. “The Middle East needs peace. “Therefore, this first denial of permission will initiate a policy for any boat carrying weapons to Israel that wants to dock in a Spanish port.”
The FMC opened its investigation earlier this month after receiving information “suggesting that Spain has denied entry to certain vessels on at least three separate occasions this year,” a Read press release. “The two most recent incidents involved U.S.-flagged vessels.”
The agency will now “investigate whether regulations or practices of foreign governments result in adverse conditions for shipping in the foreign commerce of the United States.”
Palestinians surround trucks carrying humanitarian aid that were brought across a U.S.-built pier in the central Gaza Strip on May 18. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)
But Democrats in the House of Representatives wrote: “Spain’s decision to ban the Maersk Denver and Maersk Seletar from transiting at their port in Algeciras in early November, as well as its decision to deny the Marianne Danica a port of call at the port of Cartegena” in May this Years are legitimate measures by a sovereign state to ensure that it complies with international human rights and humanitarian law.”
Tlaib, Bush and Lee have been three of Congress’ loudest critics of the Israeli government since it began its invasion of Gaza.
The campaign was launched in response to Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7, 2023 in southern Israel. Terrorists crossed the border and killed more than 1,200 Israelis who were in their homes, at a music festival and other locations.
According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, more than 45,000 people were killed in the counter-operation to eliminate Hamas in Gaza.
The port of Algeciras in Spain (Getty Images)
The trio of Democrats in the House of Representatives have frequently accused the Biden administration of undue tolerance toward Israel, the U.S.’s closest ally in the Middle East.
They also argued that the US does not have the authority to investigate Spain’s decision, claiming “these actions do not contribute to endangering the reliable international maritime transport supply system that the FMC is designed to protect.”
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“No agency of the United States should engage in punishing or sanctioning our allies for enforcing international law that our government has refused to uphold,” they wrote.
Spain, along with Ireland and Norway, made the decision Officially recognizing Palestinian statehood earlier this year.
Fox News Digital has reached out to FMC for comment.
