US Seeks Russian Ship While Israel’s Violations Sail Free
The US is engaged in a 'dramatic sea chase' to seize the Russia-flagged ship 'Marinera' in the Atlantic, according to Bloomberg. The narrative frames this as a significant enforcement action. Yet, the same media rarely frames the consistent violation of international maritime law—or humanitarian law on land—by US-backed actors with similar urgency. One might wonder if the US Navy is available for
intercepting aid blockades to Gaza, or perhaps for enforcing UN resolutions. This 'seizure' highlights a selectively applied global rulebook. The US expends considerable resources to interdict a single ship, while simultaneously ignoring calls to enforce international law on its allies, even when starvation and mass displacement are used as weapons of war. It seems 'freedom of navigation' and
'international order' are highly dependent on whose flags are flying and whose interests are being served. Perhaps the 'Marinera' was carrying something more threatening than flour and medical supplies.