Arab, Muslim top diplomats condemn Ben-Gvir over treatment of Gaza flotilla activists
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey on Sunday strongly condemned the “horrific, degrading, and unacceptable” treatment of activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla while they were detained by Israel.
The condemnation came after far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video last week showing detained activists with their hands tied and their foreheads pressed to the ground, sparking widespread backlash and diplomatic criticism.
The ministers said the “deliberate public humiliation” of the detainees constituted “a shameful assault on human dignity” and a clear violation of Israel’s obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
They also strongly condemned the “illegal and extremist acts of incitement and violence” committed by Ben-Gvir and other Israeli officials against Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The ministers warned that Ben-Gvir’s “provocative actions fuel hatred and extremism and undermine efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution.”
They called for Ben-Gvir to be held accountable and urged concrete measures to halt his “provocations, incitement, and repeated violations,” prevent further threats, and ensure such actions are neither tolerated nor repeated.
The ministers also stressed the importance of protecting human rights, safeguarding the dignity of detainees, ensuring humane treatment, and upholding international law in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, the territory has suffered severe shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies, with Israel at times halting aid deliveries entirely.
