‘Shocking’: Israeli minister faces backlash after heckling handcuffed Gaza flotilla activists
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has joined several world leaders in condemning Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s actions after he posted a video overnight showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground.
The video, shared on X by Ben-Gvir and captioned “Welcome to Israel”, was published after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla’s vessels at sea and began detaining hundreds of foreign activists at the southern port of Ashdod.
At some points, the Israeli national anthem can be heard playing in the background, and Ben-Gvir can be seen heckling and waving an Israeli flag among the detained activists.
Eleven Australians were among those detained.
Wong said the images were “shocking and unacceptable”, adding: “We condemn the actions of Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir — who Australia has sanctioned — and the degrading actions of Israeli authorities towards those detained.”
“I have asked Australia’s Ambassador to Israel to make representations to Israel, reiterating our call for the release of the detained Australians and for Israel to ensure no ill treatment of any detainees and to act in line with international obligations,” she said in a statement.
Ben-Gvir has also been criticised by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. who said the minister’s conduct with the activists was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms”.
“I have instructed the relevant authorities to deport the provocateurs (activists) as soon as possible,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
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