Activists claim they saw abuse, Thunberg ‘humiliation’
Alex Mitchell and Rachael Ward |
Australian activists detained in Israel have alleged that some were subjected to human rights abuses and officials humiliated Swedish demonstrator Greta Thunberg.
Four protesters who tried to sail aid into Gaza stood by their actions and vowed to do it again as they received a hero’s welcome on return to Australia on Friday morning.
Juliet Lamont, Hamish Paterson and Abubakir Rafiq arrived in Sydney after more than a month at sea with the Global Sumud Flotilla.
Bianca Webb-Pullman landed in Melbourne still wearing her grey prison tracksuit and rushed into the arms of her family.
The quartet’s ships were intercepted off the Gazan coast and the group was detained in Israel, where some allege they were assaulted and threatened before being deported to Jordan.
Dr Webb-Pullman, a GP, described her treatment in Israel as “dystopian” and alleged that dozens of prisoners were caged together and denied medical care.
She said it was “unacceptable” to treat anyone that way and one of the “worst” things she saw was how Ms Thunberg was treated.
“All these raised voices outside and suddenly about eight burly cops dragged Greta Thunberg – this tiny little thing – holding her hands, gripping onto this pole, holding an enormous Israeli flag,” Dr Webb-Pullman told reporters in Melbourne.
She alleged they took the 22-year-old’s hat and she was made to sit down in front of another Israeli flag.
“It was humiliation of Greta, it was humiliation of every single person there,” she said.
Mr Rafiq called the interception of his boat a “kidnapping and abduction”, further alleging the detainees were tortured, kicked, punched and spat on while also being denied clean drinking water, medication and access to a lawyer.
“Your fear tactics, your campaign slogans and (calling us) terrorists, don’t mean anything to us, we do not fear you,” he said, from Sydney airport arrivals lounge.
Ms Lamont, a filmmaker, alleged that sexual assaults had occurred in custody but wanted the focus on the next effort to provide much-needed aid to Palestine, promising it would be bigger.
“We are going back, and we’re going to take 150 boats this time,” she said.
“We will break the illegal siege on Gaza, we will deliver humanitarian aid, and we will show Palestinians solidarity and love.”
AAP has contacted Israel’s defence ministry for comment. Israel has denied allegations of abuse when questioned previously by other media.
Ms Lamont, Mr Paterson and Mr Rafiq had two consular visits while in prison in Israel, but said a lack of officials meant the Australians were the last prisoners to be released after being processed to Jordan.
Tasmanian captain Madeleine Habib – detained in a subsequent aid flotilla on Thursday – remains in Israeli detention, the foreign affairs department confirmed on Friday.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Friday said Australia had raised the welfare and treatment of the four Australians with Israeli officials in both Canberra and Tel Aviv.
Australia had “worked hard” to support the detainees and provided consular assistance, she told a Senate estimates hearing.
“The Australian government warned against attempts to breach the naval blockade … because of risks of safety to Australians,” she told fellow senators.
The Maritime Union of Australia, of which Mr Paterson is a member, has faced pressure from some members to follow their Italian counterparts and strike at ports to stop the shipment of arms and supplies to Israel.
The federal government insists it has not exported weapons or military parts to Israel since October 2023, even though Australia is part of the global supply chain for F-35 fighter jets accessed by Israel.
“If wharfies knew they were handling arms bound for Israel … they wouldn’t touch them,” union deputy national secretary Warren Smith said.
Israel’s government on Friday ratified a ceasefire with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, clearing the way to suspend hostilities in Gaza within 24 hours.
AAP
