Israel’sfar-right national security minister posted a video on Wednesday showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground, sparking condemnation and calls for their swift deportation.
The video, shared on X by firebrand minister Itamar Ben Gvir, was published after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla’s vessels at sea and began detaining hundreds of foreign activists at the southern port of Ashdod.
The video drew swift condemnation from Italy, while Ben Gvir himself was criticised by Israel’s own foreign minister and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Captioned “Welcome to Israel”, the footage shows dozens of activists on the deck of a military boat kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground with the Israeli national anthem playing in the background.
The footage also shows Ben Gvir heckling and waving an Israeli flag amongst the detained activists.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni slammed as “unacceptable” Israel’s treatment of the activists and called for the immediate release of any detained Italian citizens and demanded an apology from Israel.
“It is intolerable that these protesters, among whom there are many Italian citizens, are subjected to this treatment, which violates human dignity,” Meloni said in a statement.
Ben Gvir also drew the ire of Prime Minister Netanyahu, who said the minister’s dealing with the activists was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms.”
“I have instructed the relevant authorities to deport the provocateurs (activists) as soon as possible,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also criticised Ben Gvir on X, saying he had “knowingly caused harm to our State in this disgraceful display — and not for the first time.”
Source: Insider Paper
