(Adnkronos) – Israel’s ambassador to Italy on Thursday underlined criticism made by premier Benjamin Netanyahu and foreign minister Gideon Saar of police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who appeared in a video taunting and humiliating detained activists from the Gaza aid flotilla (Global Sumud): actions which the envoy said undermined the Jewish state’s “principles and values”.
“I want to be clear: as noted by the Israeli prime minister and foreign minister, yesterday’s events do not represent Israel’s principles and values,” Jonathan Peled said in a statement.
Peled was summoned on Wednesday to the foreign ministry, where its secretary-general Riccardo Guariglia conveyed Italy’s outrage at a video posted to social media by Ben-Gvir showing blinfolded Global Sumud Flotilla activists being mocked while being forced to kneel with their hands zip-ties behind their backs.
During the meeting with Peled, Guariglia demanded the immediate release and repatriation of nearly 30 detained Italian activists from the flotilla of 50 vessels which set sail from Turkey bound for Gaza earlier this with some 430 people from over 40 countries on board.
Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla in international waters between Tuesday and Wednesday.
