The Foreign Ministry on Sunday rejected the allegations regarding mistreatment of Greta Thunberg and other detainees from the Sumud flotilla, or the "Hamas-Sumud flotilla" as the ministry called it.
"The claims regarding the mistreatment of Greta Thunberg and other detainees from the Hamas–Sumud flotilla are brazen lies," according to the ministry. "All the detainees’ legal rights are fully upheld. Interestingly enough, Greta herself and other detainees refused to expedite their deportation and insisted on prolonging their stay in custody. Greta also did not complain to the Israeli authorities about any of these ludicrous and baseless allegations - because they never occurred.
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Greta Thunberg on board the flotilla as it reaches Ashdod port
(Photo: Foreign Ministry spokesperson)
It was also reported that Thunberg appeared Saturday before a judge and told him she wishes to return home. She did not complain to him about the treatment she received and, in fact, she can already be deported from Israel. Israeli sources also stressed that “the claims by flotilla activists that Thunberg was forced to kiss an Israeli flag are false. There was no such thing.”
The British newspaper Guardian reported Sunday morning that Thunberg told Swedish visitors who saw her in detention that she was being treated harshly. A visitor who saw Thunberg said she was being held in a cell with fleas and given too little food and water. Another Swedish source said that “according to reports, another detainee told officials from a different embassy that she had seen Thunberg forced to hold flags while photos were taken.” Turkish activist Ersin Çelik, who also took part in the flotilla and was arrested, told the Anadolu news agency that “they dragged little Greta by her hair in front of our eyes, beat her and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They made her crawl. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others, because she is a popular figure. In other words they did exactly what the Nazis did.”
Footage of the arrest of Greta Thunberg on the Sumud flotilla
(צילום: משרד החוץ)
Meanwhile, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he visited the Ketziot prison Thursday evening after the flotilla was interdicted and even entered the cells of the detained activists. “I was proud that we treat flotilla activists as supporters of terror,” Ben-Gvir said. “Whoever supports terror is a terrorist, and deserves the conditions given to terrorists. If any of them thought they would come here and receive a red carpet and fanfare they are mistaken. They should feel the conditions in Ketziot prison well, and think twice before they come near Israel again. That’s how it works.”