168 activists on board a flotilla of small ships loaded with medical and food aid bound for Gaza were taken to the island of Crete after Israeli forces illegally seized their vessels using drones and an armed raiding party. This took place in international waters near Greece in the early hours of 30 April. The Global Sumud Flotilla had sailed from Barcelona in Spain, via Sicily. During the seizure, activists were severely abused, dragged about the decks, and many suffered broken bones.
Two of the Flotilla coordinators, Saif Abu Keshek from Spain and Thiago Avila from Brazil were not released but dragged away and taken to Israel. They were physically abused on the journey and made to adopt stress positions for hours. Both have declared a hunger strike though they are continuing to drink water.
Now they have been brought before a court in Ashkelon. They were represented by Adalah (“Justice” in Arabic) a human rights organization founded by Palestinians but taking up all cases of human rights abuse in the Israeli state. Adalah lawyers visited the activists at Shikma Prison, where both gave testimony of “severe physical abuse amounting to torture.” Avila reported being subjected to “extreme brutality” by the Israeli military, including being “dragged face-down across the floor and beaten so severely that he passed out twice.”
Though no charges have yet been filed they have been accused of links to a “terrorist organisation and contact with foreign agents.” Adalah described the proceedings as “a retaliatory measure against humanitarian activist leaders.” The Turkish and Spanish governments have condemned the Israeli actions and called for the release of the prisoners. All governments like Germany and Italy have done is express concern. Britain thus far has said nothing!
The Israeli court extended their detention for a further two days “for further interrogation.” It has, of course, no jurisdiction since neither is an Israeli citizen. They were illegally seized in international waters. Thus, every government and organisation with a pretention to democracy should demand their immediate release, and indeed an interrogation of the Israel government as to their mistreatment. The US State Department, meanwhile, has announced it will be acting against anyone who organised or promoted the flotilla – for aiding terrorism.
The pro-Palestine movement, under attack by the governments of the imperialist countries, aided by “friends of Israel” (friends of genocide!) with bogus charges of antisemitism, must mobilise all their forces to demand the release of our heroic comrades, Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila. Linked indissolubly with this is the cause they are suffering for. Gaza is still over 53 per cent occupied by the IDF which continues to conduct bombings and killings beyond the so-called yellow line imposed by the cruelly misnamed “ceasefire”. IDF airstrikes, gunfire, and shelling go on daily, bringing to 738 the number Palestinians killed since it came into effect on 10 October.
Israel claims that the flotilla is just a stunt and there is no need for medical or food supplies since 600 to 800 aid trucks enter Gaza per day. But most are carrying commercial goods for private traders – not humanitarian supplies. These goods are too expensive for most people to buy, and do not include critical items like medical supplies. The UN estimates that less than 20 per cent of this traffic is carrying humanitarian aid, and Israeli seizures, delays, and restrictions regularly reduce what actually reaches people.
Almost the entire population – over 2 million people – require this assistance. The UN estimates that nearly 150,000 children need treatment for acute malnutrition. Water and sanitation systems are so poor and polluted that huge numbers are suffering from waterborne diseases and infections like hepatitis A and scabies. Plagues of lice and rats are spreading.
In short, exposing and ending Netanyahu’s deliberate genocide, backed by Trump and colluded in by EU and British leaders, must remain high on the agenda for action alongside the war in Lebanon and the siege of Iran. Free Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila!
