Wong Condemns Ben-Gvir Over 11 Detained Australians, Calls In Israel Envoy
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 20
Wong Condemns Ben-Gvir Over 11 Detained Australians, Calls In Israel Envoy
6 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 20
Penny Wong denounced Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir after video showed him mocking bound flotilla detainees, and said Australia had ordered fresh diplomatic representations over 11 detained citizens.
Australia’s ambassador in Israel has been told to press for the Australians’ release and demand no ill treatment, while DFAT will summon Israel’s ambassador in Canberra.
Ben-Gvir — already sanctioned by Australia — posted footage of detainees kneeling with zip-tied hands after Israeli forces intercepted the Gaza-bound aid flotilla off Cyprus earlier this week.
US ambassador Mike Huckabee called Ben-Gvir’s conduct “despicable,” adding to international criticism as families in Melbourne said they feared for the detainees’ wellbeing.
Legal scrutiny is also widening: ANU professor Donald Rothwell said Israel had no basis under international law to enforce its Gaza blockade off Cyprus.
With allies condemning his minister's actions, can Netanyahu's government survive the growing diplomatic fallout?
After brutal interceptions and arrests, what is the future for humanitarian aid flotillas to Gaza?
Can a naval blockade legally be enforced hundreds of miles from a nation's coast in international waters?