Updated | Malta rejects Israel-bound arms vessel from docking

All service requests by an Israel-bound vessel carrying weapons is being rejected, according to Transport Malta.

Earlier on Monday, a UN special rapporteur on Palestine is urging Malta to stop a vessel carrying weapons destined for Israel from entering its waters, after receiving information that it has arrived or will arrive in Malta soon.

Francesca Albanese, in a post on X, said that the Madeira-flagged vessel Kathrin has either arrived in Malta or is due to arrive soon. “I implore the Malta government, who has regularly taken a principled stand on Palestine, to act and stop the vessel from advancing,” she wrote.

Albanese said that States are under an obligation to respect and ensure respect for the Genocide Convention, including not to transfer arms to parties in an armed conflict.

“We must preserve the primacy of international law and human rights, which will be sorely missed once they are no longer there for us.”

A transport ministry spokesperson told MaltaToday that there was no request received by the vessel to enter Malta's territorial waters. It had requested a change of crew, but this request was rejected. Nonetheless, the vessel is near Malta but outside its territorial waters. 

Separately, a Transport Malta spokesperson also told MaltaToday that all service requests being made by the vessel are being rejected. 

The operation is being coordinated between the transport ministry and foreign affairs ministry.