Outspoken Activist Greta Thunberg Departs Israel by Air After Detention
Greta Thunberg departs Israel via air travel, concluding her environmental protest on a yacht.
Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg has left Israel following her expulsion. Israeli authorities shared photos showing Thunberg boarding a plane, which indicated her departure. The Foreign Ministry reported that Thunberg is currently en route to Sweden with a layover in France.
Initially, other crew members of the intercepted Gaza solidarity ship were held in custody, but according to reports, eight individuals, including French EU Parliament member Rima Hassan, have refused to sign the necessary expulsion documents. The remaining three activists, including Thunberg, have complied with the exit requirements and are returning to their respective home countries. The four remaining persons will allegedly be detained in a facility near Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv until they sign the necessary paperwork or if 96 hours have passed since their arrest.
Politics and the Interception
Aside from Thunberg, three other activists agreed to sign the departure documents. According to the report, the eight remaining persons will be kept at a detention facility near Ben Gurion International Airport until they agree to sign the papers or four days have elapsed since their arrest.
Israel's Interior Minister Moshe Arbel banned the ship crew from entering the country, stating that the nation would not tolerate such provocative actions. Israeli forces intercepted the sailing ship, "Madleen," approximately 200 kilometers off the Gaza Strip's coast, in international waters, early Monday morning.
Two Decades of Blockade
The Gaza Strip has been under a maritime blockade by Israel for nearly two decades. The measure was introduced in response to the Islamic Hamas seizing power in 2007 and is supported by Egypt, its neighbor in the south. The Israeli government justifies the blockade as a preventative measure against weapons smuggling to Hamas, which is labeled a terrorist organization by Israel.
[1] Freedom Flotilla Coalition. "The Freedom Flotilla Coalition sets sail again, carrying a message of Hope and Solidarity to Palestine." Accessed June 5, 2023. https://freedomflotilla.org/.[2] Associated Press. "Israel intercepts activists trying to breach Gaza sea blockade." June 5, 2023. https://www.apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-strip-europe-middle-east-sweden-palestinian-territories-498aa1dd923adc4b12333fa2405ef8ec.[3] Israeli Foreign Ministry. "Photos: Greta Thunberg leaves Israel on a plane." June 5, 2023. https://mfa.gov.il/mfa/pressroom/2023/pages/greta_thunberg_leaves_israel_on_a_plane_5-6-2023.aspx.
- "The Commission, amid the political tension surrounding the Gaza Strip's maritime blockade, is also proposing to extend the deadline for adopting new rules concerning the entry of controversial figures into the country."
- "As the general-news headlines report on Greta Thunberg's departure from Israel, underlying discussions continue regarding the international response to Israel's blockade policies and their impact on freedom of the seas."
