By The Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy, August 15, 2024
Mr Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece
Mr Giorgos Gerapetritis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece
Christos Stylianides, Minister for Maritime Affairs and Island Policy
13 August 2024
Dear Ministers,
We are writing to express our dismay at the decision of the Greek government to allow the Overseas Santorini and the Overseas Sun Coast to enter Greek territorial waters. Since 13 August, both ships have been anchored in Greece, the Overseas Santorini in Piraeus and the Overseas Sun Coast in Agioi Theodoroi.
The Greek government was informed on August 6 through the Greek missions to the United Nations that both ships are delivering military jet fuel to Israel. This includes kerosene-based jet fuel and JP8, which is used in Israel’s F16 and F35 fighter jets. These ships have been delivering such fuel to Israel for many years, including docking in Greek ports. Since October 2023, six shipments of military jet fuel have been made from the United States to Israel.
This warning was accompanied by a letter signed by international legal experts, warning the Greek government that allowing these vessels to pass through Greek territorial waters or to provision them in ports within Greek jurisdiction would amount to complicity in serious violations of international law, including genocide and apartheid. This warning was supported by references to recent judgments of the International Court of Justice, actions by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and statements by UN Special Rapporteurs.
We are deeply concerned that this advice appears to have been disregarded and that the Greek Government is now knowingly complicit in Israel’s serious violations of international law, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, apartheid and genocide.
We call on the Greek government to remedy this situation by taking the following immediate measures:
Regarding the ships currently anchored in Greek waters:
- Both the Overseas Santorini and the Overseas Sun Coast should be seized and an independent investigation should be conducted into their assistance in supplying Israel with military jet fuel, including an assessment of criminal liability for violations of international law and complicity in war crimes.
Regarding all future transits of military fuel to Israel:
- Issue a government statement prohibiting the facilitation of the transit of military fuel to Israel by prohibiting all such vessels, including the Overseas Santorini and the Overseas Sun Coast, from entering Greek territorial waters or docking in Greek ports.
We remind the Greek government of its legal obligation to take all necessary measures within its power to prevent genocide and look forward to your cooperation.
Signed
