JERUSALEM — Israel’s treatment of pro-Palestinian activists who were on board a Gaza-bound aid flotilla has sparked international uproar after a video showing the detained activists kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground was shared on social media on Wednesday.Israel’s firebrand national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir posted the video on X after Israeli naval forces intercepted the flotilla’s vessels at sea and began detaining hundreds of foreign activists at the southern port of Ashdod.The US, the UK, France, Italy and Canada were among the countries which expressed outrage after Ben-Gvir posted the video showing himself taunting the detained activists.The video drew swift international condemnation, while Ben Gvir himself was criticized by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.Captioned “Welcome to Israel,” the footage shows dozens of activists forced to kneel with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground. At some points, the the Israeli national anthem can he heard playing in the background.The footage also shows Ben Gvir heckling and waving an Israeli flag among the detained activists.British foreign minister Yvette Cooper said she was “truly appalled” by the video, which “violates the most basic standards of respect and dignity in the way people should be treated.” She added that London has “demanded an explanation from the Israeli authorities.”She earlier said the government was “in touch with the families of a number of British nationals involved to provide them with consular support”.France said it had summoned the Israeli ambassador over the “unacceptable actions” of Ben Gvir, while Madrid condemned the “monstrous” treatment of activists and said Israel’s charge d’affaires had also been summoned in protest.Ireland’s Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said she was “appalled and shocked” by the video and demanded the immediate release of the activists, among whom is the sister of President Catherine Connolly.Italy and Greece also individually slammed the treatment of the activists and called for their citizens’ immediate release, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni demanding an apology from Israel.The Turkish foreign ministry said Ben Gvir had “once again openly demonstrated to the world the violent and barbaric mentality of the Netanyahu government.”Meanwhile, Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said they will summon the Israeli ambassador over a “deeply disturbing” video showing detained activists from the flotilla kneeling with their hands tied, and calling for their immediate release.“Belgian citizens are among those detained. This situation is unacceptable. It violates the most basic standards of human dignity. All detainees must be treated with dignity and released without delay,” Prevot wrote on X.The Belgian minister said he asked the Israeli envoy to Belgium be summoned “to express our indignation and ask for explanations.”European Council President Antonio Costa said on Thursday that he was “appalled” by the treatment of aid flotilla members.”This behavior is completely unacceptable. We call for their immediate release,” Costa said in a statement on social media website X.Radosław Sikorski, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland demanded justice for polish citizens on board the flotilla.”You may not treat Polish citizens who have committed no crime in this way. In the democratic world we do not abuse and gloat over people in custody,” he said on X.He said Poland expected its citizens to be treated in line with international standards, and that consular officials were seeking access to detainees.The Israeli chargé d’affaires had been summoned “to convey our outrage and demand an apology for the extremely inappropriate behavior of a member of the Israeli government,” he added.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has described Israel’s treatment of the activists as “abominable”, adding that he had instructed officials to summon the Israeli ambassador.”The protection of civilians and respect for human dignity must be upheld everywhere, at all times,” Carney said in a post on X.Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong condemned Ben-Gvir, saying that the actions of Israeli authorities were “degrading”.The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, called Ben-Gvir’s actions “despicable”.Qatar’s Foreign Ministry also condemned Israel and urged the world to not see the treatment of the activists as an isolated incident.”Mistreatment and abuse suffered by activists, including citizens of countries that maintain relations with Israel, in full view and hearing of the world, clearly reveals the scale of violations endured by Palestinians languishing under the weight of occupation and apartheid for decades,” the Ministry said in a statement.It called on the international community to halt Israeli provactions not only against the activists but Palestinians as well.A rights group representing the detainees said they had been physically abused, resulting in “severe, widespread injuries”.Adalah said at least three people had been taken to hospital and were later discharged.”[Adalah’s] lawyers documented dozens of participants with suspected broken ribs and resulting difficulty in breathing,” it said.”Reports also indicated the frequent use of Tasers against participants, as well as injuries sustained from the use of rubber bullets during the interception…The group said activists were also “subjected to severe degradation and sexual harassment and humiliation”.Israeli authorities have not commented on the allegations.More than 50 boats taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) set sail from Turkey last Thursday carrying a token amount of aid. Four hundred and thirty people from more than 40 countries were on board.On Monday morning, armed Israeli naval commandos began intercepting the fleet in international waters west of Cyprus, about 250 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza, which is under an Israeli maritime blockade.The GSF’s organizers said all the boats had been intercepted by Tuesday evening, with one managing to get within 80 nautical miles of the Palestinian territory.They accused Israel of an “illegal, high-seas aggression” and said Israeli commandos had opened fire at six boats, used water cannon, and intentionally rammed one vessel.On Wednesday morning, Adalah said the activists were being “taken into Israeli territory entirely against their will” and detained at Ashdod port.In the afternoon, Ben-Gvir – an ultra-nationalist who, as national security minister, oversees Israel’s police force – posted a video on social media, captioned “Welcome to Israel”. It showed him visiting a detention facility at the port of Ashdod where the activists are being held.He is seen encouraging security personnel as they push down a female activist who shouts “Free, Free, Palestine” as he walks past her.Ben-Gvir is then shown waving a large Israeli flag next to dozens of activists kneeling on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs. He tells them in Hebrew: “Welcome to Israel. We are the masters.”Other activists are shown kneeling on the deck of a ship as the Israeli national anthem is played.Last year, Ben-Gvir and a second minister had sanctions imposed by the UK, Australia, Norway, Canada and New Zealand for “repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities”. It marked the first time Israeli ministers had been sanctioned by Western governments.Adalah said the footage demonstrated that Israel was “employing a criminal policy of abuse and humiliation against activists”.Israel’s foreign minister joined the condemnation of his cabinet colleague.Addressing him on X, Gideon Saar wrote: “You knowingly caused harm to our state in this disgraceful display — and not for the first time.”Ben-Gvir hit back swiftly, saying: “The foreign minister is expected to understand that Israel has stopped being a pushover.”Netanyahu then issued his own rebuke.”Israel has every right to prevent provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters from entering our territorial waters and reaching Gaza,” a statement said. “However, the way that Minister Ben-Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists is not in line with Israel’s values and norms.”The prime minister added that he had instructed Israeli authorities to “deport the provocateurs as soon as possible”.Adalah also criticized Israeli authorities over the video.“Israel is employing a criminal policy of abuse and humiliation against activists seeking to confront Israel’s ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people,” the group, whose lawyers went to the detention center to meet the detainees, said in a statement.Israel’s foreign ministry had dismissed the flotilla as a publicity stunt serving Hamas.
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