Several countries including the US, UK, and Canada have condemned Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's National Security Minister, after he posted a video showing provocative and derogatory behavior toward activists delivering aid to Gaza, who were intercepted while bound with their hands behind their backs.
There has been intense global criticism and condemnation following the case where Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's far-right National Security Minister, posted a video on social media while visiting a detention center at Ashdod port. There, he inspected over 430 pro-Palestine activists from more than 40 countries who were intercepted at sea by the Israeli Navy.
In the video captioned "Welcome to Israel," Ben-Gvir is seen encouraging security forces as they force a female activist shouting "Free Palestine" to the ground. He also waves a large Israeli flag beside many activists kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs while telling them in Hebrew, "Welcome to Israel. We are the bosses here." Additionally, other activists are shown forced to kneel on the ship's deck as Israeli national anthem music plays.
This behavior immediately sparked outrage from many countries. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the footage as "utterly shameful" and summoned an Israeli embassy official for urgent clarification. Similarly, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the act as "disgusting" and called in the Israeli ambassador, emphasizing that human dignity must always be protected.
Meanwhile, the US, Australia, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain all voiced that Israel's government's conduct was "unacceptable." Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said the video proved that innocent people, including unlawfully detained Irish citizens, were not treated with dignity. The human rights group Adalah stated this was clear evidence Israel is employing a "criminal policy" to mistreat and humiliate victims.
The backlash caused divisions within Israel's cabinet. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar directly criticized Ben-Gvir, saying, "You are deliberately damaging our country with this shameful behavior, and this is not the first time." Ben-Gvir responded sharply, "The Foreign Minister should understand that Israel is no longer a soft target to be bullied."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement to cool tensions, saying that while Israel has a legitimate right to intercept ships attempting to breach the maritime blockade supporting Hamas, Ben-Gvir's approach toward the activists "completely contradicts Israel’s values and norms." He ordered relevant agencies to expedite the deportation of those detained.
This incident stems from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), led by over 50 vessels that departed Turkey last week carrying relief supplies such as food, infant formula, and medical items to Palestinians in Gaza, where more than 2.1 million people face severe hunger and displacement, despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas since October last year.
However, the flotilla was intercepted by armed Israeli naval commandos in international waters west of Cyprus, approximately 460 kilometers from Gaza's coast. Organizers claim Israeli forces used excessive force, including gunfire, high-pressure water cannons, and deliberately ramming activist boats. The Israeli Foreign Ministry denies live fire usage, stating the operation was to enforce the maritime blockade. Currently, Gaza's population still lacks basic necessities and critical public infrastructure due to Israeli restrictions on aid imports.