Itamar Ben-Gvir Taunts Handcuffed Global Sumud Flotilla Activists After Cyprus Interception

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted videos taunting handcuffed Gaza flotilla activists after Israeli naval commandos intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters west of Cyprus, about 250 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza.

The activists, described by organizers as coming from more than 40 countries, were transferred to Israeli vessels and detained at Ashdod port, where Ben-Gvir appeared waving a large Israeli flag and telling detainees “Welcome to Israel. We are the masters.”

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The BBC reported that Netanyahu said Ben-Gvir’s conduct was “not in line with Israel’s values”, while the flotilla organizers accused Israel of an “illegal, high-seas aggression” and said Israeli commandos opened fire on six boats, used water cannon, and intentionally rammed one vessel.

NBC News said the videos show Ben-Gvir walking among approximately 430 detainees after their arrival on navy ships, including one clip where an activist with their hands tied behind their backs is pushed to the ground after shouting “Free Palestine.”

Within hours of Ben-Gvir releasing the videos, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands summoned Israel’s ambassadors to seek an explanation, while the US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called Ben-Gvir’s actions “despicable.”

CBC reported that Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said, “What we've ​seen, including the video ⁠shared ⁠by ‌[Ben-Gvir], is deeply troubling and absolutely unacceptable,” and said Canada would demand assurances regarding the safety and security of Canadians involved.

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The BBC said Labour Minister Tahmina Akhter? No—here, it instead quoted UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper describing the footage as “totally disgraceful scenes” and saying she had sent a summons to the Israeli embassy to demand an “urgent explanation.”

In Israel, Netanyahu issued his own rebuke, saying Israel has every right to prevent “provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters” but that “the way that Minister Ben-Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists is not in line with Israel's values and norms.”

Rights group Adalah said the footage demonstrated Israel was “employing a criminal policy of abuse and humiliation against activists,” and said its legal team would challenge the legality of the detentions and demand the immediate release of all flotilla participants.

“Toggle Play Israel’s Ben-Gvir publishes video taunting detained flotilla activists Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has posted a video of himself taunting detained Gaza-bound activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla with the caption, ‘Welcome to Israel’”

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The BBC reported that Adalah said the activists were being “taken into Israeli territory entirely against their will” and detained at Ashdod port, while NBC News said organizers claimed Israeli soldiers fired on five boats during the interdictions and caused some damage.

Israel’s foreign ministry insisted it would “not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza” and said no live ammunition was used, while it also said activists would be allowed to meet their consular representatives after arriving in Israel.

Netanyahu told Israeli authorities to deport the provocateurs “as soon as possible,” and CBC reported that Ben-Gvir’s remarks included a call for detainees to remain in prison “for a long, long time,” as the Global Sumud Flotilla’s stated aim was to highlight conditions for Palestinians in Gaza under an Israeli maritime blockade.