Protesters Halt Suspected Weapons Shipment to Israel at Tacoma Port
Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered at the Port of Tacoma in Washington state to block a military supply vessel believed to be carrying weapons from the US to Israel. The protesters demanded a ceasefire, an examination of US foreign policy and funding to Israel, and an end to the violence in Gaza. The ship, called the Cape Orlando, faced attempts to disrupt its voyage for the second week in a row. The US Coast Guard removed protesters who had trespassed onto the vessel in Oakland, California. The US is the largest provider of military assistance to Israel, and there is a lack of transparency regarding the weapons being transferred. Human Rights Watch has called for oversight of military assistance to Israel to ensure it is not used to commit violations of international law.