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Israel’s far-right National Security Minister posted a video connected Wednesday (May 20, 2026) showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads connected the ground, sparking planetary condemnation.
The video, shared connected X by firebrand Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, was published aft Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla’s vessels astatine oversea and began detaining hundreds of overseas activists astatine the confederate larboard of Ashdod.
The video drew swift planetary uproar, portion Mr. Ben Gvir himself was criticised 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 connected the ground. At immoderate points, the Israeli nationalist anthem tin beryllium heard playing successful the background.
The footage besides shows Mr. Ben Gvir heckling and waving an Israeli emblem amongst the detained activists.
France said it had summoned the Israeli ambassador implicit the “unacceptable actions” of Mr. Ben Gvir, portion Madrid condemned the “monstrous” attraction of activists and said Israel’s complaint d’affaires had besides been summoned successful protest.
Ireland’s Foreign Minister Helen McEntee, said she was “appalled and shocked” by the video and demanded the contiguous merchandise of the activists, among whom is the sister of President Catherine Connolly.
Italy and Greece besides individually slammed the attraction of the activists and called for their citizens’ contiguous release, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni demanding an apology from Israel.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said Ben Gvir had “once again openly demonstrated to the satellite the convulsive and barbaric mentality of the Netanyahu government”.
‘Disgraceful display’
Mr. Ben Gvir besides drew the ire of Mr. Netanyahu, who said the Minister’s behaviour with the activists was “not successful enactment with Israel’s values and norms”.
“I person instructed the applicable authorities to deport the provocateurs (activists) arsenic soon arsenic possible,” Mr. Netanyahu said successful a statement.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar besides slammed Ben Gvir connected X, saying helium had “knowingly caused harm to our State successful this disgraceful show — and not for the archetypal time”.
But Mr. Ben Gvir deed backmost astatine Saar, saying: “I americium arrogant to beryllium the Minister successful complaint of the organisations that operated contiguous against those supporters of terror.”
“Yes, determination volition beryllium each sorts of pictures that Gideon Saar does not like, but I deliberation they are a large root of pride,” helium added astatine Parliament.
Around 50 vessels nether the Global Sumud Flotilla acceptable sail from Türkiye past week successful the latest effort by activists to breach Israel’s blockade of Gaza aft Israeli forces intercepted a erstwhile convoy past month.
The Israeli authorities had said 430 activists aboard the flotilla were en way to Israel, portion the Adalah rights radical said immoderate had already arrived astatine Ashdod larboard and were being held there.
Hamas, which controls little than fractional of Gaza and whose onslaught connected Israel connected October 7, 2023 sparked the warfare successful the Palestinian territory, said the footage was grounds of Israeli leaders’ “moral depravity and sadism”.
Adalah besides criticised Israeli authorities implicit the video.
“Israel is employing a transgression argumentation of maltreatment and humiliation against activists seeking to face Israel’s ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people,” the group, whose lawyers went to the detention centre to conscionable the detainees, said successful a statement.
‘Malicious scheme’
Israel’s Foreign Ministry had dismissed the flotilla arsenic a publicity stunt serving Hamas.
Mr. Netanyahu had earlier denounced it arsenic “a malicious strategy designed to interruption the blockade we person imposed connected Hamas terrorists successful Gaza”.
Israel controls each introduction points into Gaza, which has been nether an Israeli blockade since 2007.
During the Gaza war, the territory suffered terrible shortages of food, medicine and different indispensable supplies, with Israel astatine times halting assistance deliveries entirely.
A erstwhile flotilla effort was intercepted past period successful planetary waters disconnected Greece, with astir activists expelled to Europe. Two were brought to Israel, detained for respective days and past deported.
