PARIS (Agencies) – Pakistan and seven other countries on Sunday strongly condemned what they described as the “appalling, degrading and unacceptable actions” of extremist Israeli Minister Itamar Ben Gvir against activists detained after participating in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.
The condemnation came days after Israel’s far-right national security minister shared a controversial video showing detained activists kneeling on the ground with their hands tied and heads lowered, triggering widespread international criticism.
The footage, posted by Ben Gvir on X, emerged after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla vessels at sea and transferred hundreds of foreign activists into custody at the southern Israeli port of Ashdod.
The video also showed Ben Gvir moving among the detainees while waving an Israeli flag and taunting some of the activists.
Organisers of the flotilla later alleged that several detainees were mistreated while in Israeli custody. According to them, multiple activists required hospital treatment for injuries, while at least 15 individuals reported sexual assaults, including allegations of rape.
In a joint statement issued on Sunday, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Turkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates denounced the Israeli minister’s conduct and described it as a serious violation of human dignity and international law.
The statement said Ben Gvir’s “deliberate public humiliation of detainees” represented “a disgraceful assault on human dignity” and violated Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.
The ministers also strongly condemned what they called the “illegal and extremist acts of incitement and violence” committed by Ben Gvir and Israeli forces against Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories.
They warned that such “provocative actions” encourage hatred and extremism while undermining international efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace through a two-state solution.
The ministers further called for accountability over Ben Gvir’s actions and urged the international community to take concrete steps to prevent repeated provocations, incitement and alleged violations.
The joint statement also emphasized the importance of protecting human rights, ensuring the humane treatment of detainees and fully respecting international law in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Earlier, France has barred Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from entering the country after he posted a controversial video showing detained Gaza-bound aid activists kneeling with their hands tied. The footage triggered widespread condemnation from European leaders and international officials, with several countries calling for European Union sanctions against the far-right minister. Critics described the treatment of activists as degrading and unacceptable, while governments including Spain, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand demanded explanations from Israel and voiced concerns over the handling of foreign nationals aboard the flotilla.
France has officially banned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from entering its territory following the circulation of a controversial video involving activists detained from a Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla. The announcement was made on Saturday by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who accused Ben Gvir of behaving in a manner that violated the dignity of French and European citizens.
Barrot stated that the decision was taken due to the Israeli minister’s “reprehensible actions” toward activists participating in the aid mission. He further revealed that France, together with Italy, would seek European Union sanctions against Ben Gvir over the incident.
The controversy erupted after Ben Gvir shared a video on social media showing dozens of activists detained by Israeli forces after attempting to reach Gaza by sea. In the footage, the activists were seen kneeling on the ground with their hands restrained while soldiers stood nearby. The video was captioned “Welcome to Israel,” and also included scenes of Ben Gvir waving an Israeli flag and mocking those detained.
The incident quickly drew criticism from governments and international leaders across the world. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the treatment of the activists and described the images as unacceptable. He announced that Spain would push for a European Union-wide travel ban against Ben Gvir, stressing that Spain would not tolerate the mistreatment of its citizens.
In the United Kingdom, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper expressed shock over the footage and confirmed that British authorities were in contact with families of British nationals who had joined the flotilla. She stated that the UK government had demanded clarification from Israel regarding the handling of detainees and reminded Israeli authorities of their responsibilities under international law.
European Council President Antonio Costa also criticised the actions shown in the video, calling the treatment of the flotilla members completely unacceptable. Similarly, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the treatment of the activists as degrading and inappropriate, adding that Ben Gvir’s conduct was unfit for a public official in a democratic state.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong labelled the footage shocking and unacceptable, noting that Australia had already imposed sanctions on Ben Gvir previously. Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee criticised the Israeli minister’s actions despite dismissing the flotilla mission itself as a publicity stunt.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that Israel’s ambassador would be summoned to discuss concerns over the treatment of New Zealand citizens who took part in the flotilla.
The activists were part of the “Global Sumud Flotilla,” a convoy of nearly 50 vessels that departed from Turkey last week in an effort to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The operation followed another failed flotilla attempt intercepted by Israeli forces last month.
