Journalism of Courage
Israel said on Monday it had deported Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg and about 170 other activists from a flotilla that it stopped last week from delivering aid to Gaza, sending them to Greece and Slovakia.
Israel’s foreign ministry released photos of Thunberg at an airport before her departure and said all legal rights of those detained had been respected. The ministry called the flotilla “a publicity stunt” and said any claims of mistreatment were “complete lies”.
An Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson said Thunberg boarded a plane at Ramon airbase in the Negev Desert.
Activists from Switzerland and Spain told Reuters that they faced harsh treatment while in Israeli detention. Some alleged sleep deprivation, beatings, and being locked in cages.
“They beat us, dragged us along the ground, blindfolded us, tied our hands and feet, put us in cages and insulted us,” Spanish lawyer Rafael Borrego told reporters after arriving in Madrid.
Swedish activists said Thunberg was shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag during her detention. Others claimed food, water, and medication were withheld.
Israel denied all these accusations. A spokesperson told Reuters, “They were not denied access to legal counsel, and all their legal rights were fully upheld.”
Thunberg deported for a second time
This is the second time Thunberg has been deported by Israel after attempting to reach Gaza by sea.
Israel said the deported activists were citizens of several countries, including Greece, Italy, France, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway, the UK, Serbia, and the United States.
The BBC reported that around 470 people were aboard more than 40 civilian boats when the “Global Sumud Flotilla” was intercepted by Israel last week.
Former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, who was part of the flotilla, told Reuters there had been “mistreatment, but that was nothing compared to what the Palestinian people suffer every day.”
The Swiss Embassy in Tel Aviv said it had visited 10 Swiss nationals held in detention and that they were “in relatively good health given the circumstances.”
Spanish journalists said they were made to sign documents in Hebrew stating they had entered Israel illegally, without translation or consular help.
Israeli officials said all detainees were processed according to legal procedures and deported safely.
