Extreme violence, sexual humiliation and harassment of various kinds. After the shocking video starring the Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir, complaints arrive from the activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla who, after being stopped in international waters between Cyprus and the Gaza Strip, were taken to a hangar in the port of Ashdod, where the video was then shot. The images show around 400 people, including around thirty Italians, blindfolded and kneeling, with their hands tied and their faces turned towards the ground. A scene that sparked outrage around the world, also triggering the indignation of the Italian government.
Violence and harassment
The legal team of the NGO Adalah, which provided assistance to the members of the Flotilla in the port of Ashdod, collected the complaints: “There are complaints relating to extreme violence, sexual humiliation and serious injuries by the Israeli forces, including at least three cases of people admitted to hospital and subsequently discharged. Dozens of participants with suspected rib fractures and resulting breathing difficulties.” According to the lawyers, the witnesses reported “frequent use of the taser” and injuries caused by rubber bullets, fired by the military during the interception at sea: “Then there are physical abuses. The participants were subjected to serious degradation, sexual harassment and humiliation. Several female participants had their hijabs torn off by the Israeli authorities.”
“The detained activists – explained the NGO – were subjected to extreme violence both on the boats and during the transfer between the boats and the port. Furthermore, the authorities forced the activists to maintain stress positions; while they were moved inside the port, they were forced to walk completely bent forward while the guards violently pressed on their backs. The participants were also forced to remain kneeling inside the ship for prolonged periods”.
Alessandro Mantovani, journalist of the Fatto sulla Flotilla: “I took the beatings, others took more. I was stripped, with handcuffs and chains”
Adalah’s lawyers could not meet everyone due to severe access restrictions, but they advised hundreds of Flotilla participants: “All those detained have completed the initial identification phase by the Israeli immigration authorities and almost all are transferred to Ktziot prison.” In the meantime, two of the 29 Italians have been freed, while the other 27 will have to wait for a court hearing. They are Dario Carotenuto, deputy of the 5 Star Movement, and the Fatto Quotidiano journalist Alessandro Mantovani, who returned to Italy today.
The six repeat offenders
The Italian spokeswoman for the Flotilla, Maria Elena Delia, also reported some delicate cases: “We are particularly concerned about the six repeat offenders who have been in that prison in recent months. They have already undergone deportation procedures and therefore Israel has given them a ban on re-entering the country for 99 years. They risk having their detention period extended and we do not know how they will be treated.” They are Luca Poggi and Adriano Veneziani aged 29, Gessica Lastruzzi aged 40, Andrea Sebastiano Tribulato aged 30, Ruggiero Zeni aged 70 and Marco Orefice aged 48. The Rome prosecutor’s office has opened a case for torture, kidnapping, damage with risk of shipwreck and robbery, but Ben Gvir’s video has also unleashed the wrath of the Italian government, for which Israel “has crossed the red line”. From Meloni to Mattarella, the reaction was harsh and the immediate summoning of the Israeli ambassador was requested to “express indignation” and ask for “formal clarifications”.
Italy’s reaction
The President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella condemns what he defines as “uncivilized treatment of people illegally stopped in international waters which reaches a low level”. Palazzo Chigi speaks of “unacceptable” images and of “total contempt shown towards the explicit requests of the Italian government”, demanding “an immediate apology” from Israel. Then, through the mouth of the minister Tajani announces from now on a “hard line” of the government with initiatives which will however be evaluated, in mutual agreement with the entire executive, when this matter is concluded. “But we will certainly take them – assures Tajani in the evening – because we can no longer continue with this attitude: going to take people outside territorial waters who are not terrorists, treating them as terrorists, no respect for human dignity, violation of international law, violation of any rule of the civilized world”.
The split in the Israeli government
Ben Gvir’s action has divided Benjamin Netanyahu’s government with the prime minister distancing himself from his minister saying he condemns his treatment of the Flotilla activists. A method defined as “not in line with the values and norms of the State of Israel” and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar who accused his government colleague of having “caused damage to our State in this shameful charade” and of having “vanished enormous, professional and successful efforts made by so many people, from IDF soldiers to Foreign Ministry staff and many others”. But Ben Gvir counterattacked in a post on Meanwhile, the images have sparked outrage around the world. The United Kingdom, Germany and Ireland have stigmatized the images, Spain has called the treatment “monstrous and unworthy”, while France, Belgium and Holland and Canada, like Italy, have summoned the Israeli ambassador to protest and ask for clarification.