Flotilla, Ben Gvir mocks activists. Sanchez: 'We will ask the EU to sanction him'

The Italian government intervenes in the images coming from Israel: the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the port of Ashdod, where the Flotilla activists detained by the Israeli navy are being held, and, as circulated on his social channels under the title "This is how we welcome supporters of terrorism", draws the activists as they walk among hundreds of detainees, handcuffed and blindfolded on their knees, and exults: 'Welcome to Israel, we are the hosts' and 'The people of Israel live'. In another clip, an activist is seen shouting 'Free Palestine' as she is slammed to the ground by an officer. At the end of the video Ben Gvir concludes: 'They came full of pride like great heroes, look how they are now.... They are neither heroes nor anything else. They are supporters of terrorism. I say to Prime Minister Netanyahu leave them to me for a long, long time to come. Send them to the terrorists' prisons."

In a note, Prime Minister Meloni and Minister Tajani call the images of Israeli minister Ben Gvir 'unacceptable'. They go on to say: 'It is unacceptable that these demonstrators, including many Italian citizens, should be subjected to this treatment that is detrimental to their dignity. The Italia government is immediately taking, at the highest institutional levels, all necessary steps to obtain the immediate release of the Italian citizens involved. Italia also demands an apology for the treatment meted out to these demonstrators and for the total contempt shown towards the explicit requests of the Italian Government. For these reasons, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will immediately summon the Israeli ambassador to ask for formal clarifications on what happened".

Speaking to journalists in the House, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani went on to say: 'We have noticed that there is a differentiation within the Israeli government'. "The foreign minister has condemned what Minister Ben Gvir did, Netanyahu as well has said that what happened is not in line with the laws of Israel, but however as far as we are concerned the red line has been crossed and so now we will see what initiatives to take in order to give a response," Tajani assured.

"We pride ourselves on something else, minister. We boast that we have always treated your countrymen with respect and we are not in the habit of arresting people in international waters but, if anything, of rescuing them if they need it. I don't think that with such attitudes we are doing Israel any good'. This is what Defence Minister Guido Crosetto wrote on X, addressing Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and the video he circulated on his social channels with the activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla.

Meanwhile, activists mobilise. "President Meloni and the Italia government cannot stand by and watch. Consular assistance is necessary, but it is not enough: what is needed is a firm condemnation of the illegal interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters, of the use of force against unarmed people and of the humiliating treatment denounced by the arrested activists. A government that does not protect the safety of its citizens is not performing its duties. Italia demands the immediate release of those detained and full transparency on their treatment at sea and on land. This too must weigh in the ascertainment of the Netanyahu government's responsibilities before international justice,' says Chiara Campione, executive director of Greenpeace Italia.