Israel Says Deported ‘All Foreign Activists’ from Gaza-bound Flotilla

Israel said it had deported on Thursday all the foreign activists seized by Israeli forces from a Gaza-bound flotilla, following global outcry over their treatment in custody. “All foreign activists from the PR flotilla have been deported from Israel. Israel will not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza,” said foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein. Earlier, western governments voiced outrage on Thursday after Israel’s far-right security minister posted a video of himself taunting Gaza-bound flotilla activists being pinned to the ground, with two later alleging ​they were physically assaulted in detention. The activists’ treatment by police officers under the direction of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also drew a rebuke from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and from the United States, Israel’s staunchest ally. The activists, whose vessel was intercepted on Wednesday in international waters by Israeli naval forces as they were trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, were expected to be deported from Israel on Thursday. Across Europe, governments summoned Israeli ambassadors to condemn the video. Italy demanded an apology, Spain said it would not tolerate maltreatment of its citizens, and France demanded the release of all the detainees. Britain’s foreign ministry said the video “violates the most basic standards of respect and dignity for people”, while Poland’s foreign minister called for Ben-Gvir to be banned from entering the country. The US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said Ben-Gvir had “betrayed (the) dignity of his nation”. The outpouring of anger follows ‌the posting of campaign-style ‌videos by Ben-Gvir and at least one other minister in Netanyahu’s government, transport chief Miri ​Regev, showing ‌them visiting ⁠the port ​and ⁠lambasting the protesters, attention-grabbing antics ahead of a potential early election in Israel