Activist Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel on Tuesday after being ‘kidnapped’ from a Gaza-bound ship. Several others on board the Madleen are currently being detained by Tel Aviv and slated to face legal proceedings in the country. The Israeli military had seized the boat without incident from on Monday morning — with rights groups calling it a violation of international laws.
According to an Israel-based legal rights group representing the activists, Thunberg and a few others had agreed to be deported from the country. Eight others had refused the option and were currently being held in detention. The Adalah team said they were were expected to be brought before a court later on Tuesday. A spokesperson for the Israeli Interior Ministry said the deported individuals had waived their right to appear before a judge. Sabine Haddad also claimed that the remaining activists will be held for 96 hours before being deported.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry also shared a photo of Thunberg — a climate activist who shuns air travel — seated on a flight to France. She will then head on to her home country of Sweden.
Thunberg described facing a “quite chaotic and uncertain” situation during detention — but noted that the conditions were “are absolutely nothing compared to what people are going through in Palestine and especially Gaza right now”. She also reiterated calls for the other activists to be released upon arrival in Paris.
Did Israel violate international laws?
The Madleen was seized by Israeli Naval forces on Monday while carrying aid towards Gaza. The voyage (with 12 passengers on board) was organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and meant to protest the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis within Palestine. International rights groups insist that capturing the boat around 200 kilometers off the Gaza coast was a violation of international laws.
Israel-based rights group Adalah said Tel Aviv had “no legal authority” to take over the ship because it was in international waters. It was also not heading to Israel but rather the “territorial waters of the state of Palestine”. Meanwhile Amnesty International said Israel was flouting international law with the naval raid and called on Israel to release the activists immediately and unconditionally.
Tel Aviv however insists that its actions were consistent with international law because the vessel was ‘intending to breach its lawful naval blockade of Gaza’. Authorities dubbed the vessel a “selfie yacht” that was launched with “meagre” aid that amounted to less than a truckload of goods.
