A report published by the British newspaper “The Guardian” revealed that Swedish activist Greta Thonberg informed Swedish officials that she was subjected to harsh treatment in Israel, after she was detained with other activists for their participation in the global resilience fleet who tried to deliver food and medicine to the Gaza Strip.
In an email sent by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to those close to Thonberg, and it was seen by the “Guardian”, an official who visited the prison activist had claimed that she had been detained in a cell full of bedding, with a severe lack of food and water.
“The embassy managed to meet Greta,” the letter said. She informed us of her dehydration, and she did not receive enough water and food. She also stated that she had a rash suspected of being broken. She talked about her harsh treatment, and said she sat for long periods on solid surfaces.
The official of the Swedish ministry added that “another detainee told the embassy of his country that he saw her forced to raise flags while taking pictures of them.”
This allegation confirmed at least other activists from the fleet, which were detained by the Israeli forces and released them, on Saturday.
“They dragged Greta from her hair in front of our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything that could be imagined, as a warning to others. ”
For his part, Lorenzo Dagostino, a journalist who also participated in the fleet, said after his return to Istanbul that Thonberg “was wrapped in the Israeli flag, and the soldiers were mocking it, and they liked that they were showing it as a wrapped prize, in a scene that caused our amazement and anger.”
And Thunberg is among the 437 activists, parliamentarians and lawyers who participated in the “Samoud World” fleet, a coalition that includes more than 40 ships and vehicles carrying humanitarian aid, and its goal was to break the Israeli naval siege imposed on Gaza.
On Thursday and Friday, the Israeli forces intercepted all boats, and all members of their crew were detained. Most of them are held in Kitzaout prison, a very guardian prison in the Negev desert, and is used primarily to detain Palestinian security prisoners, whom Israel accuses of “involvement in armed or terrorist activities.”
According to the lawyer of the “Adalah” organization on human rights and legal reform based in the United Kingdom, activists’ rights were subjected to “systematic violations”; Where they were deprived of water, sewage services, medicines, and immediate access to their legal representatives “in a clear violation of their basic rights in due legal procedures, fair trial and legal representation.”
The Italian legal team, representing the fleet, confirmed that the detainees were left “hours without food or water”, with the exception of “a box of potato chips that were delivered to Greta and were offered to the cameras.” Lawyers also reported that verbal and physical attacks occurred.
