A 25-year-old German student who took part in the Gaza aid flotilla “Global Sumud Flotilla” has told Spiegel of severe mistreatment by Israeli security forces. The activists had set off from Turkey to break Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. Israel arrested the participants and deported them, including eight Germans.
The student, who does not want his name published, was among the group that Israel’s far-right Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir taunted and put on display in a video. S. told Spiegel he recognized the style of such propaganda clips from other occasions. Ben-Gvir had previously posed in front of Palestinian prisoners or celebrated with champagne in the Knesset when the death penalty for Palestinians was passed.
The student expressed relief that this time the video caused a major international outcry. Reports of excessive use of force and serious mistreatment by Israeli security forces have multiplied since the activists returned to their home countries. The EU and the US have now called for sanctions against Ben-Gvir.
Source: www.spiegel.de
