Israel said today that 171 activists aboard the flotilla, including Greta Thunberg, had been deported to Greece and Slovakia.
Thunberg, who was transferred to Greece, was one of around 450 activists detained by Israel when its forces intercepted the flotilla last week, The Guardian reported.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry shared pictures of “Greta and other participants in this PR stunt” at the airport before their deportation, following their detention in Israel, The Independent reported.
The ministry said they had been deported to Greece and Slovakia. Activists on the flotilla had previously said Thunberg, 22, was expected to arrive in Greece on Monday. The deportees were identified as citizens of Greece, Italy, France, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway, the UK, Serbia and the US.
Revenge mentality
The ministry added that “all legal rights of the participants in this PR stunt have been and will continue to be fully respected,” accusing the group of spreading “lies” and claiming that “the only violent incident” involved a “provocateur” who “bite a female medical worker at Ketsiyot prison.”
On the other hand, several activists claim to have been abused and humiliated by Israeli guards. Israel’s Foreign Ministry has previously described reports of abuse of detainees as “complete lies.”
Adalah, the legal organization representing activists in the Global Sumud Flotilla, has detailed alleged cases of mistreatment of detainees by Israeli authorities. Detainees have reported being denied food, water, and medical care. Activists, including cancer and heart disease patients, have also been denied medication.
“Imagine how Palestinian prisoners are treated — no food, no water, no hygiene,” said lawyer Lubna Tuma, accusing Israel of a “revenge mentality.”
