Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and a dozen other international campaigners are being deported from Israel today, after Israeli forces intercepted their Gaza-bound aid boat, the Madleen, yesterday. The move underscores Israel’s unwavering commitment to maintaining its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory and its firm stance against attempts to breach it, even by high-profile international figures.
The Madleen, a British-flagged yacht operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was intercepted by the Israeli navy in the early hours of Monday morning, approximately 100 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza. The 12 activists on board, including Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan, had aimed to deliver a “symbolic” amount of humanitarian aid – reportedly including rice and baby formula – and draw global attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Upon seizure, the vessel was towed to the Israeli port city of Ashdod. The activists were then transferred to a detention facility before being taken to Ben Gurion Airport for deportation. Israel’s Foreign Ministry shared images of Thunberg at the airport, confirming that those who refused to sign deportation documents would face further legal proceedings.
Israeli officials swiftly dismissed the flotilla’s mission as a “media provocation” and “Instagram activism.” David Mencer, an Israeli government spokesperson, stated, “Greta was not bringing aid, she was bringing herself. And she’s not here for Gaza, let’s be blunt about it. She’s here for Greta.” He further emphasized that the amount of aid on board was less than a single truckload, contrasting it with the “over 1,200 aid trucks” that Israel claimed had entered Gaza in the past two weeks.
Defense Minister Israel Katz had issued a stern warning days prior, vowing to prevent any vessel from breaking the naval blockade, which Israel asserts is crucial to prevent weapons from reaching Hamas. He controversially referred to Thunberg and her fellow activists as “antisemitic” and “Hamas propagandists,” saying, “You should turn back, because you will not make it to Gaza.”
The activists, however, maintain that Israel’s blockade is illegal under international law and that their peaceful attempt to deliver aid was a humanitarian mission. Pre-recorded messages from Thunberg and other activists, released after the interception, claimed they had been “kidnapped” by “the Israeli Occupation Forces” in international waters. Human rights groups like Adalah have also condemned the seizure, calling it a “serious breach of international law.”
This incident is not the first time international flotillas have attempted to break the Gaza blockade, nor is it the first time Israel has acted to prevent them. A similar attempt by the Freedom Flotilla last month failed after organizers claimed their vessel was attacked by drones. The most infamous incident occurred in 2010 when Israeli commandos raided the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, resulting in the deaths of 10 Turkish activists.
As the deported activists begin their journey home, the controversy surrounding the Madleen serves to highlight the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has been devastated by months of conflict. It also underscores the deep international divisions over the blockade and the methods employed by both sides in a conflict that continues to draw global attention and impassioned activism.