Israel orders the army to prevent the arrival of a humanitarian ship from activists – Liberation
The Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement on Sunday, June 8, that he had given instructions to the army so that the flotilla belonging to the international organization « Coalition of the Liberté flotilla » (FFC) does not reach Gaza. « At the anti-Semitic Greta Thunberg and his friends, I tell them bluntly: you should turn around because you will not reach Gaza », warned the minister in his press release, reports the newspaper Haaretz.
The humanitarian ship A on board 12 activists, including Swedish ecologist activist Greta Thunberg and MEP LFI Franco Palestinian Rima Hassan. On Saturday, he had reached the Egyptian coast and approached the Gaza Strip, where the war between Israel and Hamas entered its 21st month.
A few minutes after this announcement, the European deputy published a video on her Instagram account in which she deplores this decision of the Israeli authorities. “Internet will be cut before this intervention. We will not be able to communicate or film. Thereafter, we will be brought to the port of Ashdod, it will take six or seven hours, Anticipates Rima Hassan, who films himself inside the ship. Meanwhile, we will be handcuffed and under surveillance of Israeli soldiers. We will most likely be an interrogation before being returned to our countries of origin. ”
The rebellious leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, also reacted on X to this « threat » brandished by Israel Katz. After recalling that the Hebrew state had no rights on the Gaza coast, « Territory occupied according to international law », He urged France to « Take responsibility ». And to continue: « Our French Navy must intervene and enforce international law and our endangered nationals. »
THE Madleen, A sailboat of the coalition of the flotilla for freedom, left Sicily on June 1 to Gaza to provide humanitarian aid and « Breaking the Israeli blockade » Imposed on the Palestinian territory threatened with famine according to the UN, according to the organizers.
« The State of Israel will not allow anyone to break the Maritime Bloc of Gaza, the main objective of which is to prevent the transfer of arms to Hamas, a murderous terrorist organization which holds our hostages and commits war crimes », Added Israel Katz.
« Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or to help terrorist organizations, by sea, by air or on the ground », he still threatened.
Update At 2:38 p.m. with the reactions of Rima Hassan and Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
