Israel deports Greta Thunberg and 170 Gaza flotilla activs to Greece, Slovakia | World News

Israel said on Monday it had deported Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg and about 170 other activs from a flotilla that it stopped last week from delivering aid to Gaza, sending them to Greece and Slovakia.Israel’s foreign minry released photos of Thunberg at an airport before her departure and said all legal rights of those detained had been respected. The minry called the flotilla “a publicity stunt” and said any claims of mreatment were “complete lies”.

An Israeli foreign minry spokesperson said Thunberg boarded a plane at Ramon airbase in the Negev Desert.

Activs from Switzerland and Spain told Reuters that they faced harsh treatment while in Israeli detention. Some alleged sleep deprivation, beatings, and being locked in cages.

“They beat us, dragged us along the ground, blindfolded us, tied our hands and feet, put us in cages and insulted us,” Spanish lawyer Rafael Borrego told reporters after arriving in Madrid.

Swedish activs said Thunberg was shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag during her detention. Others claimed food, water, and medication were withheld.

Israel denied all these accusations. A spokesperson told Reuters, “They were not denied access to legal counsel, and all their legal rights were fully upheld.”

Thunberg deported for a second time

This is the second time Thunberg has been deported Israel after attempting to reach Gaza sea.

Israel said the deported activs were citizens of several countries, including Greece, Italy, France, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Denmark, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway, the UK, Serbia, and the United States.

The BBC reported that around 470 people were aboard more than 40 civilian boats when the “Global Sumud Flotilla” was intercepted Israel last week.

Former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, who was part of the flotilla, told Reuters there had been “mreatment, but that was nothing compared to what the Palestinian people suffer every day.”

The Swiss Embassy in Tel Aviv said it had visited 10 Swiss nationals held in detention and that they were “in relatively good health given the circumstances.”

Spanish journals said they were made to sign documents in Hebrew stating they had entered Israel illegally, without translation or consular help.

Israeli officials said all detainees were processed according to legal procedures and deported safely.