IN BRIEF
- Itamar Ben-Gvir's video was published after Israel intercepted the flotilla's vessels at sea and began detaining activists.
- Penny Wong said the Israeli ambassador to Australia had been called in to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Israel's ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, has joined growing condemnation of the actions of Israel's far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir after he posted a video overnight showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground.
The video, shared on X by Ben-Gvir, has drawn international condemnation. It was published after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla's vessels at sea and began detaining hundreds of foreign activists at the southern port of Ashdod.
Eleven Australians were among those detained.
Newman told journalists Ben-Gvir's actions had been broadly condemned by the Israeli government and were not reflective of the government.
"He does not reflect the values of the state of Israel. He has been condemned by the prime minister, by the foreign minister, the entire leadership of the state of Israel.
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"A country is not measured by the actions of one politician, but how the government responds to actions which are disgraceful."
Newman said that because his actions had been condemned, debate around Ben-Gvir should be put aside "and we address the real issue, which is the flotilla itself".
He repeated claims made by the Israeli government that the flotilla was a "provocation".
Earlier, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the images of Ben-Gvir were "shocking and unacceptable".
"We condemn the actions of Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir — who Australia has sanctioned — and the degrading actions of Israeli authorities towards those detained," she said in a statement.
"I have asked Australia's Ambassador to Israel to make representations to Israel, reiterating our call for the release of the detained Australians and for Israel to ensure no ill treatment of any detainees and to act in line with international obligations."
She said Newman had been called in to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to "reinforce this message".
Flotilla organisers had called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to join international condemnation of the footage, calling on the government to summon or send home Israel's ambassador to Australia.
"We are deeply concerned for all 318 participants, the 11 courageous Australian friends and their families," the Australian delegation of the Global Sumud Flotilla said in a statement.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the footage was "disgraceful".
"There's absolutely no need or no place for it, and you know, when it comes to people who are engaged in that journey, obviously our departments tried to discourage people from going down that path, but having gone down that path, they should be treated humanely.
"I can only imagine what it's like to be a parent or a loved one of one of the people involved in that trip, and to see them treat them being treated that way, I think is deeply disappointing."
Global backlash
Captioned "Welcome to Israel", the footage shows dozens of activists forced to kneel with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground. At some points, the Israeli national anthem can be heard playing in the background.
The footage also shows Ben-Gvir heckling and waving an Israeli flag among the detained activists.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) condemned Ben-Gvir in a statement on Wednesday, saying that there was "simply no excuse".
"Nothing can excuse the appalling behaviour displayed by Minister Ben Gvir against a group of people who were being held in custody in Israel," said ECAJ president Daniel Aghion. "We agree entirely with the comments of Israel’s Foreign Minister and Prime Minister condemning Ben Gvir’s actions as disgraceful."
US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee denounced what he said were "despicable actions".
"Universal outrage & condemnation from every high-ranking Israeli official... for despicable actions by Ben-Gvir. Flotilla was stupid stunt, but Ben-Gvir betrayed dignity of his nation," Huckabee wrote on X.
British foreign minister Yvette Cooper said she was "truly appalled" by the video posted by Ben-Gvir.
In a statement on X, she said: "We have demanded an explanation from the Israeli authorities and made clear their obligations to protect the rights of our citizens and all those involved."
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas criticised Ben-Gvir's treatment of the activists as "degrading and wrong".
"Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir’s conduct is unbecoming of anyone holding office in a democracy," she said.
France said it had summoned the Israeli ambassador over the "unacceptable actions" of Ben-Gvir, while Madrid condemned the "monstrous" treatment of activists and said Israel's charge d'affaires had also been summoned in protest.
'Disgraceful display'
Ben-Gvir was also criticised by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar.
Netanyahu said the minister's conduct with the activists was "not in line with Israel's values and norms".
"I have instructed the relevant authorities to deport the provocateurs (activists) as soon as possible," Netanyahu said in a statement.
Sa'ar said Ben-Gvir had "knowingly caused harm to our State in this disgraceful display — and not for the first time".
But Ben-Gvir hit back, saying: "I am proud to be the minister in charge of the organisations that operated today against those supporters of terror."
"Yes, there will be all sorts of pictures that Gideon Sa'ar does not like, but I think they are a great source of pride," he added in parliament.
Around 50 vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Türkiye last week in the latest attempt by activists to breach Israel's blockade of Gaza and deliver aid, after Israeli forces intercepted a previous convoy last month.
The Israeli authorities had said 430 activists aboard the flotilla were en route to Israel, while the Adalah rights group said some had already arrived at Ashdod port and were being held there.
Adalah also criticised Israeli authorities over the video.
"Israel is employing a criminal policy of abuse and humiliation against activists seeking to confront Israel's ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people," the group, whose lawyers went to the detention centre to meet the detainees, said in a statement.
Israel controls all entry points into Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.
During the Gaza war, the territory suffered severe shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies, with Israel at times halting aid deliveries entirely.
A previous flotilla attempt was intercepted last month in international waters off Greece, with most activists expelled to Europe.
Two were brought to Israel, detained for several days and then deported.
— With additional reporting by Agence France-Presse and Reuters news agency.
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