Sweden Urges EU to Sanction Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir for Insulting Flotilla Activists

JAKARTA - Swedish Foreign Minister (Menlu) Maria Malmer Stenergard urged the European Union to immediately impose sanctions on Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in connection with his actions after detaining pro-Palestinian activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, according to a Politico report.

Ben-Gvir shared a video showing Israeli security agents forcing the detained members of the humanitarian fleet to kneel with their hands tied behind their backs.

Ben-Gvir also appears in the video, waving an Israeli flag and making provocative remarks against the activists.

On Wednesday (20/5), the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that its navy had detained 430 activists from a fleet carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

A day after the statement, Deputy Prime Minister and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also called on the EU to impose sanctions on Ben-Gvir after the incident on the fleet.

The fleet of ships carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza departed from Barcelona on April 15.

On Monday (18/5), the GSF organizers said their armada was surrounded and forcibly intercepted by Israeli naval vessels in international waters, about 250 nautical miles off the Gaza coast.