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Footage of Israeli forces abusing Gaza flotilla activists arrested on international waters has triggered a diplomatic crisis.
The footage was shared on X by Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who taunted the activists in both the video and the caption accompanying the post.
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The footage showed the activists — men and women — kneeling in rows, foreheads to the ground, and their hands tied behind their backs.
In the footage, Mr Ben-Gvir could be seen waving an Israeli flag and mocking the detainees. He screamed, “The people of Israel live,” in the face of one bound man who was being dragged to join the group already on their knees.
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PREMIUM TIMES reports that a Gaza-bound flotilla of more than 50 boats carrying aid for Palestinians in war-torn Gaza was intercepted between Monday and Tuesday in international waters near Cyprus. Israeli forces detained hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists aboard these boats —the latest of such incidents.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, in a statement, said its fleet was being boarded in an “illegal, high-seas aggression” about 250 nautical miles (460km) from Gaza, which is under an Israeli maritime blockade.
It also posted footage of commandos firing at one boat, but Israel’s foreign ministry said live ammunition was not fired.
The ministry accused the flotilla of being a “provocation” trying to assist Hamas. Then on Wednesday, Mr Ben-Gvir shared a dehumanising video of the activists that triggered a furious and rapid response from world leaders and countries whose citizens were aboard the boats.
This includes Italy, the UK, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Ireland.
World leaders reaction
Several nations have summoned Israel’s ambassadors to express their displeasure over Israel’s handling of the kidnapped Gaza flotilla activists. This includes Italy, whose Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has accused Israel of violating the human dignity of its citizens.
“The images of Israeli Minister Ben Gvir are unacceptable. It is unacceptable that these protesters, including many Italian citizens, are subjected to this treatment that violates their human dignity,” she said in a statement on X.
Rome said it was acting swiftly through top institutional channels to secure the release of its nationals detained in the incident. It also demanded an apology for Israel’s treatment of the activists and disregard for its explicit requests.
“For these reasons, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will immediately summon the Israeli ambassador to request formal clarification on what happened,” it said.
The Netherlands has also said it will summon Israel’s ambassador because the “treatment of detainees violates basic human dignity.”
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung described Israel’s actions as “way out of line”.
The country, whose citizens were also part of the flotilla, said, “What is the legal basis? Is it Israeli territorial waters? Is that Israeli land? If there is conflict, can they seize and detain third-country vessels?”
Portugal’s Foreign Ministry described the action of the top Israeli official as a “humiliating violation of human dignity.”
Spain called the treatment of the activists “monstrous.” Ireland’s foreign minister, Helen McEntee, demanded the immediate release of the detainees after noting that she was shocked to see the footage.
US, Israel’s top official condemns footage, but Ben-Gvir doubles down
Top US and Israeli officials have also condemned the release of the video. Still, Mr Ben-Gvir doubled down on his action, stating that Israel won’t “turn the other cheek” to supporters of terrorists in its territory.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Mr Ben-Gvir’s actions “are not in line with Israel’s values and norms.”
He also noted that he has “instructed the relevant authorities to deport the provocateurs as soon as possible.”
According to the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, Mr Ben-Gvir “betrayed the dignity of his nation” by publishing footage.
The footage also led to a heated exchange between Israel’s security minister and the country’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar.
The foreign minister criticised Mr Ben-Gvir for the footage, stating that he had “squandered enormous, professional, and successful efforts made by many, many people” and brought disgrace to Israel by this single action.
“You deliberately caused damage to the state in this disgraceful performance, and not for the first time,” Mr Sa’ar said, referencing the post by Mr Ben-Gvir on X.
“No, you are not the face of Israel,” he said.
Responding to this, Mr Ben-Gvir accused the top Israeli diplomat of condoning “supporters of terrorism.”
He said, “Anyone who comes to our territory to support terrorism and identify with Hamas will get slapped, and we won’t turn the other cheek.”
