A video of Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir mocking a detained Gaza Platoon activist sparked international condemnation and an unusual public rebuke from Israel’s prime minister.
Two videos released by Ben Gvir’s office show activists being arrested by police on a convoy intended to deliver aid to Gaza, and on Wednesday, activists were seen holding positions in a temporary holding area at the port of Ashdod.
In one video, a woman is seen shouting in English: “Free Palestine!” An officer can be heard saying, “Hush, hush, hush,” before being pushed to the ground.
“Well done,” Ben Gvir said, adding: “Welcome to Israel. We are the landlords here.”
Another video shows dozens of people kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs and their heads on the ground.
“They came with great pride, like great heroes. Look at them now. Look at what they are like now. They are not heroes or anything. They are supporters of terrorism,” Ben Gvir said, holding an Israeli flag and pointing at the detainees.
The first boat in the flotilla left Barcelona last month, a move activists have called “civilian intervention amid escalating violence and a humanitarian crisis.”
As the boats made their way toward Gaza, Israeli forces launched a series of interceptions.
Flotilla spokesman David Heap told CNN on Wednesday that about 60 of the company’s boats have been seized and more than 400 activists have been detained.
Lawyers from Israeli human rights group Adalah were able to meet some detainees at the port of Ashdod before they were transferred to Keziot prison in Israel’s southern Negev desert.
International condemnation of the detainee video was immediate.
Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, who Israel considers one of the EU’s more sympathetic leaders, was among the first to say the incident was an “unacceptable” violation of the activists’ human dignity.
Spain’s prime minister, who has been harshly critical of Israel’s attacks in Gaza, said the images showed Ben Gvir “humiliating the people of the International Fleet”, adding: “We will not tolerate those who abuse our people.” Spain’s leader said he would ask the European Union to impose sanctions on Ben Gvir, following Spain’s ban on the minister.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she was “absolutely appalled”, adding that the British government was in contact with the families of the British men involved. Mr Cooper said Britain was also seeking clarification from Israeli authorities.
Canada, Portugal and Italy announced they would summon their Israeli representatives over the incident, while France, Ireland and Turkey also stepped up their condemnation.
Ben Gvir, a politician known for his provocative stunts, clearly went too far with his government colleagues, prompting Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly reprimand him.
Saar accused the national security minister of making a “shameful display” that “deliberately harmed” the state of Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear he was defending the detention of the activists, but said Ben Gvir’s actions were “not consistent with Israeli values and norms,” adding: “I have instructed the relevant authorities to expel the provocateurs as soon as possible.”
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also condemned Ben Gvir’s “despicable conduct.”
“Flotilla was a foolish act, but Ben Gvir betrayed the dignity of the nation,” the ambassador said in X.
