ambassador in protest against the “unacceptable treatment” of the activists and demanded their immediate release.
In the United Kingdom, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she was “deeply shocked” by the footage, describing Ben-Gvir’s actions as “violating the most basic standards of respect and human dignity,” while confirming that London had requested official clarifications from Israel.
Greece strongly condemned what it described as Ben-Gvir’s abuse of the activists, while Türkiye accused the Israeli minister of using “verbal and physical violence” against flotilla participants, saying his behavior reflected “a government approach based on violence” within Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration.
Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon described the treatment of the activists as “horrific and shocking,” stating that “there is no place for such behavior in any democratic society.”
Irish Foreign and Defense Minister Helen McEntee said the activists had been “illegally detained” in international waters and were not being treated in a manner consistent with human dignity, announcing that Ireland’s ambassador in Tel Aviv had been tasked with following the case and demanding the immediate release of all detainees.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also condemned the unacceptable treatment of the activists, while Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that the Israeli ambassador had been summoned to the Foreign Ministry.
In France, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described Ben-Gvir’s actions as “unacceptable,” confirming that the Israeli ambassador had been summoned for explanations and to express Paris’s condemnation.
The video published by Ben-Gvir showed activists restrained inside a military vessel and Israeli detention centers, while the Israeli minister waved the Israeli flag and shouted “Long live Israel” in front of one of the handcuffed activists.
The footage also showed Israeli security personnel assaulting a female activist who was chanting “Freedom for Palestine,” violently pushing her to the ground and pulling her hair while Ben-Gvir shouted at her to “shut up,” accompanied by smiles and provocative remarks.
The seizure of the flotilla ships and detention of the activists drew widespread condemnation from international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, which described the incident as “shameful and inhumane.”
The Global Sumud Flotilla is the third maritime initiative this year aimed at breaking the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza, where catastrophic humanitarian conditions and severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel have worsened since the beginning of Israel’s war on the territory in October 2023.
Source:Websites
