WASHINGTON – Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gabriella Shalev filed an official grievance with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN Security Council following Wednesday's seizure of
the Francop arms vessel by the Israel Navy.
Thursday's letter stated that the vessel's cargo carried
"36 containers of hundreds of tons of a wide range of weaponry, including rockets, missiles, mortars, grenades and small arms and light weapons… Concealed, wrapped, and declared as civilian cargo in the ship’s manifest.
Demand
PM: UN must probe arms ship war crime / Attila Somfalvi
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praises defense establishment for capture of Francop ship carrying weapons destined for Hezbollah, says 'UN should investigate these war crimes. Instead it convenes to condemn Israel'
"The intended route of the Francop, coupled with the types of weaponry found on board, raise serious concerns that this incident also constitutes a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and 1373," said Shalev's letter.
Israel alleges that the foiled arms smuggling is the continuation of an ongoing pattern by Iran and
other UN member states, which systematically violate UN Security Council resolutions with the sole aim of destabilizing the area.
Moreover, says Shalev, "Iran’s national shipping company (IRISL) has been repeatedly found to be involved in transporting weapons and other banned items in violation of UN Security Council resolutions."
Shalev urged the UN to take immediate action and said that Israel is willing to lend it full cooperation and supply the international body with all the information it uncovered regarding the ship.
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