Fighting Illegal Flotilla, Israel Gives Itself a Black Eye

An Israeli official yesterday posted demeaning videos of international activists in Israeli custody. The videos generated international outcry, another strike against Israel’s already-stained international reputation.

• The videos posted by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir show the activists—about 430 of them from several countries, part of a Spain-based flotilla to Gaza that Israel’s maritime blockade interdicted—crouching in fetal position with their hands zip-tied while Ben-Gvir jeers at them. One shows a female being forcefully shoved to the ground while Ben-Gvir smiles.

Australia, Canada, France and several other European nations have summoned Israel’s ambassadors and chargés d’affaires over the videos. Italy has asked the European Union to sanction Ben-Gvir over the incident.

• The videos have been controversial even within the Israeli government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar both condemned Ben-Gvir’s antics.

As ugly as Ben-Gvir’s actions were, the flotilla was literally trying to publicly violate international borders to send supplies to a territory partially controlled by a terror group known for stealing and weaponizing such supplies.

• Spain has repeatedly allowed such flotillas to depart from its ports for this purpose, as a weapon against Israel, with far less international scrutiny or condemnation.
• The activists likely knew they would be intercepted and wanted to create an incident that made Israel look bad. Ben-Gvir foolishly furthered this goal.

The flotilla issue is part of a wider trend of Spain delegitimizing Israel because of Israel’s Palestinian policy. It won’t be the last.