Israel deports Greta Thunberg
The Israeli authorities have confirmed deporting activist Greta Thunberg. She and hundreds of others were detained last week after attempting to reach Gaza aboard an aid flotilla.
Thunberg was a part of a group of over 170 activists deported to Greece and Slovakia on Monday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a post on X. It also published a photo of her and two other women at the Ben Gurion airport.
The group included citizens of a total of 19 nations, including the US, the UK, Germany, and France, among others, according to the ministry.
”All the legal rights of the participants in this PR stunt were and will continue to be fully upheld,” the ministry said of the activists, calling their aid flotilla a provocation. The ministry used the occasion to accuse the group of “spreading lies” as part of what it called a “pre-planned fake news campaign.”
The ministry was referring to earlier accusations made by a number of journalists and activists, who said Thunberg was mistreated in Israeli custody. “They dragged little Greta by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag,” Turkish journalist Ersin Celik told Anadolu news agency.
The Swedish Embassy in Tel Aviv reportedly said that Thunberg had complained about “harsh treatment” and not receiving enough food or water, according to an email cited by The Guardian. West Jerusalem has denied the allegations, calling them “brazen lies.”
Over 400 activists onboard some 50 boats were detained by the Israeli navy on Friday as they tried to breach the blockade of Gaza by sea. More than 130 of them were deported to Türkiye over the weekend.
Most of those detained were taken to Ketziot Prison in the Negev Desert; Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stated that he was “proud” of the harsh conditions they were held in.
West Jerusalem’s actions have sparked a wave of protests in Europe, Latin America, and beyond.
