The Flotilla activists arrive in Catalonia amid accusations of violations and mistreatment

BarcelonaThe 18 Catalan activists who were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla landed this midday at El Prat airport from Istanbul, after having spent five days detained by Israeli authorities. With banners of "Welcome home" and shouts of "Long live, long live Palestine," nearly two hundred people awaited them in the Terminal 2 hall, and the reception left emotional images of reunion with their families. Dressed in gray Israeli prison tracksuits, flip-flops, and a Palestinian scarf, the activists denounced the mistreatment they suffered and demanded action from Western governments: "We are risking our lives because governments are silent and complicit," assured Ariadna Masmitjà, a teacher linked to the IAC union, who also asked the European Union to break relations with Israel.

Activists were intercepted in international waters while sailing towards Gaza The activists were intercepted in international waters while sailing towards Gaza on a humanitarian mission to denounce the genocide on May 18. Subsequently, they were transferred to a prison ship that took them to Israel. From Istanbul, where they underwent medical check-ups before flying to Barcelona, the group has reported suffering torture, abuse, and mistreatment. Now the organization is compiling all and each of these cases, including sexual assaults, and has said that the data "will be released in the coming days." For now, the organization has registered various injuries — among which they count 36 fractures — and twelve episodes of sexual violence, including rape.

At the terminal, the activists were received by various social entities and some political representatives, including the Minister of Culture, the Catalan Ernest Urtasun, and the Comuns MEP Jaume Asens. Urtasun has asked the Public Prosecutor's Office to investigate the "mistreatment, torture, and sexual assault" reported by the members. "We will not allow this to go unpunished. We want the Public Prosecutor's Office, immediately, to initiate proceedings before the National Court to open an investigation and a case against those responsible who have tortured and mistreated our fellow citizens," he pointed out. The minister also called for continued work to "end once and for all" the association agreement between the European Union and Israel, which he believes "is a disgrace that it is still in force," and recalled that Spain has already requested its suspension.

Four arrested in Bilbao

The arrival of the flotilla members in the Basque Country, on the other hand, has had a murkier outcome. Four people —of whom three newly arrived activists— have ended up arrested for serious disobedience, resistance, and assault on an authority agent. The incident began when a relative of the six Basque members waiting at the airport approached them, and a member of the Ertzaintza blocked their path. The police claimed that the activists were preventing passengers from leaving, and the confrontations resulted in police charges. As can be seen in various images shared on social media, Ertzaintza agents used batons against the newly arrived activists.

According to the Basque Department of Security, the Ertzaintza's Internal Affairs Directorate has launched an investigation to verify whether the agents' actions comply with current instructions. However, many entities have issued messages of protest, starting with the Global Sumud Flotilla, which criticized that "what should have been a moment of relief and family solace after such a distressing experience was interrupted by even more brutality." EH Bildu and Podemos have also condemned the police action. "The violence exerted against an action that symbolizes solidarity and the defense of human rights has no justification," claimed the Basque party. The arrival of the Basque activists was initially planned for yesterday, but they delayed the trip due to the hospitalization of two of the members for injuries sustained after being captured by Israeli forces while en route to Gaza.

An international investigation

The episode that most evidenced this vexatious treatment and that provoked an international wave of condemnation was staged by the Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir. In images published by himself, he appeared mocking the 428 activists detained at the port of Ashdod, in Israel. Accompanied by Israeli security forces, he walked among the activists —kneeling with their heads to the ground— and told them: “Welcome to Israel, as the masters of the land”, while waving an Israeli flag.

With the aim that these human rights violations do not go unpunished, the organization demands a "full and independent international investigation" into the assault on the humanitarian mission and that "those responsible be handed over to the International Criminal Court." Likewise, it considers that the European Union should sanction those politically responsible and cut commercial ties with Israel.