Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed disapproval towards his national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, after videos surfaced showing Ben-Gvir’s aggressive behavior towards pro-Palestinian flotilla activists. These clips depict Ben-Gvir mocking the activists while they are under Israeli security personnel custody. Ben-Gvir, a far-right government minister known for inciting violence against Palestinians, was seen walking among the roughly 430 detained Sumud Global Flotilla activists, accompanied by police and soldiers.
In one of the videos posted by Ben-Gvir, he waves a large Israeli flag and remarks to some activists, “Welcome to Israel, we are the landlords.” A handcuffed activist, shouting “Free Palestine,” is pushed to the ground by security personnel as Ben-Gvir walks by. The video shows activists with hands tied, kneeling with heads touching the floor, in what appears to be a makeshift detention area at Israel’s Ashdod port and on a ship’s deck.
In another clip, Ben-Gvir comments on the activists, saying, “They came here all full of pride like big heroes. Look at them now,” while asking Netanyahu for permission to detain them for a “long, long time.” A boat, part of the Gaza-bound aid flotilla intercepted by the Israeli navy, was seen being taken toward the Israeli port of Ashdod on May 19, 2026.
Netanyahu defended the interception of the flotilla but condemned Ben-Gvir’s actions in a statement on Wednesday. “Israel has the right to prevent provocative flotillas supporting Hamas terrorists from entering our territorial waters and reaching Gaza,” he stated. “However, Minister Ben-Gvir’s approach to the flotilla activists does not align with Israel’s values and norms.”
Following the video’s release, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized Ben-Gvir on social media, stating that his actions “deliberately caused damage to the state.” Ben-Gvir responded on the same platform, asserting that “Israel has stopped being a pushover.” Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., remarked that Ben-Gvir’s “reckless grandstanding” does not represent Israeli government policy.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, commented that while the flotilla was a “stupid stunt,” Ben-Gvir had “betrayed the dignity of his nation.”
Reactions from abroad included Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni describing the video as “unacceptable” and summoning the Israeli ambassador in Rome for an apology. France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, also summoned the Israeli ambassador, emphasizing respect and swift release for French participants in the flotilla.
Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, accused Israeli authorities of engaging in a “criminal policy of abuse and humiliation” against the activists. This has reportedly followed previous patterns without accountability. The organization is providing legal assistance and urging for the activists’ immediate release.
On Tuesday, Israeli forces boarded the final flotilla boats challenging Israel’s longstanding blockade of Gaza. Organizers accused Israeli soldiers of firing on five boats, although Israel’s foreign ministry stated no live ammunition was used, only “nonlethal means” as warnings.
Israel claims the flotilla is a “PR stunt” serving Hamas and questions its intent to deliver aid to Gaza, given the small amount of aid the boats carried. The flotilla boats, originating from Turkey, were intercepted approximately 167 miles from the Gaza coast.
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