Pro-Palestinian Protests Delay US Military Supply Ship Suspected of Carrying Weapons for Israel

Advocacy group alleges confidential source tipped them off about weapons onboard; Pentagon confirms the ship’s role in the “movement of US military cargo” but provides no further details citing operational security.

Pro-Palestinian protesters rallied at the Port of Tacoma, alleging that a military supply vessel, the Cape Orlando, is due to carry weapons from the United States to Israel for use in its ongoing campaign against the Gaza Strip.
The protests were organized by the Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC), whose confidential source tipped them off about the vessel's suspected cargo. Upon contact, the Pentagon confirmed the ship's role in transporting US military cargo but did not provide further information.
The US is the largest provider of military assistance to Israel since the country's founding in 1948, contributing approximately 16 percent of Israel's defense budget. Despite these close ties, the Biden administration has not been transparent about the specific types of weapons being transferred, says Elias Yousif, analysts with the Stimson Center.
These protests are part of larger outcry against US military assistance to Israel. In addition to the protest in Tacoma, the Cape Orlando faced similar protests in Oakland, California, which ended with three protesters latching onto the ship and subsequently being detained by the US Coast Guard.
The protests managed to delay the loading of the vessel for several hours. Though they did not fully prevent the cargo from entering the ship, the demonstrators considered the delay a success, as every delay could potentially decrease the number of weapons reaching Israel and being used against Palestinians.