Israel\u2019s diplomatic image suffered heavy damage following a video posted by ultranationalist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir showing detained pro-Palestinian activists kneeling on the ground with their hands zip-tied behind their backs.<\/p>\n
The activists were heading to Gaza as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla<\/a> to deliver humanitarian aid when they were intercepted by Israeli forces earlier this week. According to reports, around 50 vessels and more than 400 activists were intercepted<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ben-Gvir posted the controversial video on Wednesday on X alongside the caption \u2018Welcome to Israel\u2019. The footage showed dozens of activists forced to kneel with their foreheads to the ground while guarded by armed Israeli security forces. According to media reports, the detainees were allegedly forced to remain motionless for a prolonged period while the Israeli national anthem played in the background, fuelling speculation that the authorities had intentionally sought to humiliate them.<\/p>\n Many of the activists visible in the footage were EU citizens, including Italians, Poles, Dutch, Greeks, Spaniards, and Irish nationals, prompting strong reactions even from EU member states that have generally maintained relatively pro-Israel positions during the Gaza war.<\/p>\n Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni delivered one of the harshest responses<\/a>. In a post published on X on Wednesday, Meloni described the treatment of Italian citizens as \u2018unacceptable\u2019 and said it was \u2018inadmissible\u2019 that the activists had been subjected to treatment \u2018harmful to human dignity\u2019.<\/p>\n \u2018The Italian government is immediately taking, at the highest institutional levels, all necessary steps to obtain the immediate release of the Italian citizens involved,\u2019 Meloni stated. She further demanded apologies from Israel \u2018for the treatment reserved for these demonstrators and for the total disregard shown towards the explicit requests of the Italian government\u2019.<\/p>\n Meloni also announced that Italy\u2019s Foreign Ministry would immediately summon the Israeli ambassador to demand formal clarifications regarding the incident.<\/p>\n Poland, which\u2014similarly to Italy\u2014has generally maintained a more Israel-aligned position on the Gaza war than many other EU member states, also reacted sharply. Polish Foreign Minister Rados\u0142aw Sikorski announced that Warsaw had summoned<\/a> Israel\u2019s charg\u00e9 d\u2019affaires to express outrage and demand formal apologies for what he described as the \u2018extremely inappropriate behaviour\u2019 of a member of the Israeli government. Sikorski also demanded the immediate release of Polish citizens detained during the operation and insisted that they be treated in accordance with international standards.<\/p>\n Germany, traditionally among Israel\u2019s strongest allies within the bloc, likewise condemned the footage. German Ambassador to Israel Steffen Seibert described the treatment as \u2018wholly unacceptable and incompatible with the basic values of our countries\u2019.<\/p>\n Realizing the diplomatic damage caused by the video, the Israeli government moved quickly to contain the fallout. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly distanced himself from Ben-Gvir, stating that although Israel had the \u2018right to intercept\u2019 the flotilla, the treatment shown in the footage was \u2018not in line with Israeli values\u2019.<\/p>\n Foreign Minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar went even further, accusing Ben-Gvir of seriously damaging Israel\u2019s international standing in a post on X.<\/p>\n The national security minister responded defiantly to the growing backlash and refused to apologize either for publishing the footage or for the treatment of the detainees. Instead, he doubled down rhetorically, defending the operation as a \u2018necessary response\u2019 against what he described as \u2018provocateurs supporting Hamas propaganda under the guise of humanitarianism\u2019. He also argued that Israel \u2018will not bow to foreign pressure\u2019 and claimed that the activists had been treated \u2018better than Israeli hostages in Gaza\u2019.<\/p>\n Ben-Gvir additionally dismissed criticism coming from within the Israeli government itself, arguing that \u2018national honour and deterrence are more important than European public opinion\u2019.<\/p>\n