SPANISH prime minister Pedro Sanchez has spoken out after a disturbing video emerged of an Israeli minister harassing dozens of pro-Palestinian activists detained earlier this week
MORE than 50 boats taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Turkey last Thursday carrying a symbolic amount of aid.
A total of 430 people from more than 40 countries were on board, including 33 Spaniards who were among the first group detained after Israeli forces boarded the boats.
A video shared by far-right Israeli minister Ben Gvir on social media on Wednesday showed dozens of detained activists crowded together on the floor while Israeli officers stood around them, alongside the message: “This is how we accept supporters of terrorism.”
On X, Sanchez slammed the footage, writing: “Spain will not tolerate anyone mistreating our citizens.”
The Spanish leader also said he will ask the European Union to urgently ban Ben Gvir from entering EU countries.
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The activists had been travelling on a humanitarian flotilla trying to reach Gaza with aid before Israeli forces stopped the boats between Monday and Tuesday in international waters near Cyprus.
Several other vessels reportedly continued sailing before also being intercepted.
The flotilla organisers accused Israel of carrying out an ‘illegal aggression’ in international waters and claimed Israeli commandos opened fire at six boats, used water cannons and deliberately rammed one vessel.
However, Israel dismissed the flotilla as a ‘PR stunt at the service of Hamas’.
The Israeli foreign ministry denied using live ammunition and said it would ‘not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza’.
Meanwhile, Israeli legal group Adalah, which is helping defend the activists, accused Israeli authorities of carrying out a ‘policy of abuse and humiliation’.
The organisation said detainees faced mistreatment, sexual harassment and degrading treatment while in custody.
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It also claimed Israeli officers removed hijabs from several female activists.
Spain is not the only country to criticise the scenes.
France, Italy, the Netherlands and Canada have all lodged official protests with Israeli diplomatic missions in their countries.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the footage ‘unacceptable’ and demanded an apology from Israel over the treatment of the detainees, including Italian citizens.
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also described the videos as ‘unacceptable’.
Portugal’s government strongly condemned what it called Ben Gvir’s ‘intolerable’ behaviour.
Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said the images were ‘shocking and unacceptable’.
In the UK, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she was ‘truly appalled’ and confirmed British officials are in contact with detained UK citizens.
Germany, Ireland and Greece have also criticised the treatment of the activists.
The European Commission said all detainees ‘must be treated with safety, dignity and in accordance with international law’.
Meanwhile, Hamas said the footage showed the ‘sadism’ and ‘moral decay’ of Israeli leaders.
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