Israel to deport Gaza flotilla activists including Greta Thunberg
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Israel said the activists would be deported to Europe, without specifying which countries they would be sent to.
PHOTO: EPA
Follow topic:
JERUSALEM – Israel said on Oct 2 that it will deport pro-Palestinian activists on an aid flotilla intercepted at sea as they headed towards Gaza, adding that none of the vessels had successfully breached its maritime blockade.
The Global Sumud Flotilla of around 45 vessels
The Israeli navy has intercepted vessel after vessel at sea since Oct 1, after warning the activists against entering waters it says fall under its blockade, with Ms Thunberg’s boat among those stopped from going farther.
“None of the Hamas-Sumud provocation yachts have succeeded in their attempt to enter an active combat zone or breach the lawful naval blockade,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“One last vessel of this provocation remains at a distance. If it approaches, its attempt to enter an active combat zone and breach the blockade will also be prevented.”
According to Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, 39 of the around 45 ships have been intercepted
“All passengers are in good health. No violence has been exercised,” Mr Gerapetritis said.
Israel said the activists would be deported to Europe, without specifying which countries they would be sent to.
“Hamas-Sumud passengers on their yachts are making their way safely and peacefully to Israel, where their deportation procedures to Europe will begin,” the foreign ministry said on X, posting photos of Ms Thunberg and other activists aboard a boat.
In a statement, the flotilla organisers branded the interceptions as “illegal”.
“Beyond the confirmed interceptions, live streams and communications with several other vessels have been lost,” they added.
‘Piracy’
Hamas, whose Oct 7, 2023, attack on Israel sparked the war in Gaza, condemned the interception of the flotilla as a “crime of piracy and maritime terrorism”.
With the war in Gaza dragging on, solidarity with the Palestinians has grown globally, with activists and, increasingly, governments condemning Israel for its conduct.
Spain and Italy, which both sent naval escorts to protect their citizens on board the flotilla, had urged them to halt before entering Israel’s declared exclusion zone off Gaza, saying they would not be allowed to pass that mark.
The boats, with dozens of activists from around the world on board, initially set sail from several European ports.
After a 10-day stop in Tunisia, where organisers reported two drone attacks, the flotilla resumed its journey on Sept 15.
One of the main ships, the Alma, was “aggressively circled by an Israeli warship”, the organisers said, before another vessel, the Sirius, was subjected to “similar harassing manoeuvres”.
‘Intimidation’
The organisers vowed to press on with their bid to break the siege and deliver aid to Gaza despite what they called “intimidation” tactics by the Israeli military.
They said on X they remained “vigilant as we enter the area where the previous flotillas were intercepted and/or attacked”.
In Italy, which has already seen a general strike in support of the flotilla, hundreds of protesters turned out on Oct 1 in Rome.
In Naples, demonstrators blocked trains at the main station for around an hour before being cleared by police.
Unions have called for another strike on Oct 3 to urge stronger action from the government against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he will expel all remaining Israeli diplomats in the country over the interception.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Oct 2 accused Israel of “brutality” in boarding the aid flotilla.
“This attack by the Israeli government against civilians sailing in international waters has once again shown the madness of its genocidal leaders trying to hide their crimes against humanity in Gaza” and reveals “once again Israel’s brutality”, Mr Erdogan said in a speech to his AKP party.
His criticism came after the Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office announced that it had opened an investigation into the arrest of Turkish citizens travelling with the flotilla.
Israel blocked similar flotilla campaigns in June and July.
Mandela’s grandson
Spain’s digital transformation minister, Mr Oscar Lopez, had urged the flotilla not to cross into Israel’s declared exclusion zone, extending 150 nautical miles off Gaza.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, of the centre left, said the activists posed no threat and urged his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu not to consider them one either.
On Oct 1, Spain summoned Israel’s top representative in Madrid, its Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said, saying that 65 Spaniards were travelling with the flotilla.
But Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is right-wing, criticised the attempt to reach Gaza.
“I continue to believe that all this brings no benefit to the Palestinian people,” she told reporters.
She earlier said the voyage could jeopardise US President Donald Trump’s latest proposed Gaza peace plan, currently still under negotiation.
South Africa urged Israel to immediately release the activists, who include Mr Mandla Mandela, the grandson of anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela. AFP
