From Bejaia Port to Ashdod Port: The “Captain Christos” Scandal Exposes the Algerian Regime
In an era where several authoritarian Arab regimes are competing to present themselves as “champions of the Palestinian cause,” and while they loudly proclaim slogans of “resistance” and “rejection of normalization” at international forums, the realities on the ground unveil the falsehood of these slogans, exposing practices that have no relation to the official political discourse.
The latest of these revelations concerns the commercial ship CAPTAIN CHRISTOS, which docked at the Algerian port of Bejaia on April 11. Subsequently, on April 18, it was reported to have docked at the Israeli port of Ashdod, one of the most prominent ports under occupation.
According to maritime traffic data, the ship flying the Togolese flag departed from Bejaia en route to Ashdod, without clarifying the nature of its cargo. This rapid and direct transition has raised widespread questions about the commercial relationship between Algeria and Israel, despite the Algerian regime’s firm declarations against any normalization with Israel.
What has further complicated the situation is the absence of any official clarification from Algerian authorities, despite the magnitude of the scandal and the media attention it has begun to attract. What was the ship transporting from Algeria to Israel? And why does the government refrain from disclosing details about the shipment?
The Algerian regime does not miss an opportunity to condemn normalization with Israel, whether concerning other Arab countries or media platforms. It often adopts a populist revolutionary rhetoric at international forums, portraying itself as one of the last bastions defending the Palestinian cause.
However, the reality reveals another truth: Algerian ports are open to ships headed to Israel, and commercial transactions seemingly continue as long as they occur quietly and out of the media’s scrutiny.
The scandal also exposed a troubling silence from the “Moroccan Front for Support of Palestine and Opposition to Normalization,” which includes a group of activists and several organizations, notably the Justice and Spirituality Movement. This front had stirred significant controversy in Morocco months ago when it refused the docking of a Maersk ship at one of Morocco’s ports, claiming it was transporting military equipment to Israel.
Despite the global company officially denying these allegations and asserting that there is no direct maritime route between Morocco and Israel, along with its non-involvement in transporting military equipment, the front organized protests and raised strong slogans against maritime normalization.
Today, regarding the ship traveling from Algeria to Israel, no statement or protest has been registered from the same organizations. Has normalization now become unacceptable only when it pertains to Morocco, while it is tolerated concerning the eastern neighbor?
What deepens the doubts is the lack of any official stance from Algerian authorities or political and media figures known for their anti-Moroccan discourse, who recently did not hesitate to harshly criticize Morocco for its “relations with Israel.”
Where are these figures now? Why are their supporters not calling for protests at Bejaia port? Or is “resistance” in Algeria selective, changing according to which party is accused of normalization?
All indications suggest that commercial relations are taking place away from public view, managed under the principle of “we don’t normalize publicly, but we trade in the shadows.”
This contradicts all the narratives promoted by the official Algerian media, which does not hesitate to hurl accusations of “betrayal” and “normalization” at other countries.
