Several countries blast Israel's Gaza flotilla interception, global anti-Israel protests erupt

Several countries protested against Israel’s interception of the Gaza flotilla vessels, which attempted to break the blockade on the Hamas-run coastal enclave.

The Israeli Navy, which did not use force, detained around 470 anti-Israel flotilla activists on Thursday, including Greta Thunberg. The blockade is intended to prevent the Hamas terrorist organization from importing weapons and does not restrict the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Spain, one of Israel’s strongest critics in Europe, conveyed its protest directly to Israel’s deputy ambassador in Madrid.

“Today I summoned the charge d’affaires here in Madrid,” the Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told public broadcaster TVE. He said 65 Spanish nationals participated in the flotilla.

Relations between Spain and Israel have deteriorated sharply since the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack in southern Israel.

Last year, Spain unilaterally recognized a Palestinian state, a move that drew strong criticism from Israel. In May, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez became the first European head of government to officially accuse Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza.

Belgium summoned its Israeli ambassador as well. “The manner in which they were boarded and the location in international waters are unacceptable,” the Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot stated.

Colombia, which severed diplomatic relations with Israel last year due to the Gaza War, officially expelled the remaining four Israeli diplomats in the South American country.

The Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed on 𝕏 that he had ordered the expulsion of “the entire diplomatic delegation of Israel” due to what he termed “a new international crime” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Petro previously accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a charge that Israel strongly rejects.

The Colombian leader has also accused U.S. President Donald Trump of being an “accomplice” in the genocide in Gaza. During an anti-Israel rally in New York last week, Petro urged the U.S. military to disobey orders from Trump. In addition, Petro also ended the free-trade agreement with Israel, which has been active since 2020.

The Turkish government condemned Israel's detention of the flotilla activists as an “act of terrorism.” Hamas also condemned Israel, accusing it of committing a “crime of piracy and maritime terrorism against civilians.” The Palestinian Authority likewise criticized Israel for intercepting the flotilla and detaining the activists.

By contrast, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the anti-Israel activists, saying the flotilla “brings no benefit to the Palestinian people.” Unlike countries like Spain, Ireland and Belgium, Italy has remained one of Israel’s strongest supporters in the European Union. Meloni has been reluctant to recognize Palestine as an independent state. Last month, the Italian prime minister indicated that she would only consider such diplomatic recognition if Hamas were removed from power and the remaining 48 Israeli hostages in Gaza were released.

The British Foreign Office in London stated it was “very concerned” about the Gaza flotilla and the British nationals who participated on the vessels.

“The aid carried by the flotilla should be turned over to humanitarian organizations on the ground to be delivered safely into Gaza,” it argued.

Meanwhile, anti-Israel demonstrators in multiple cities worldwide, including Paris, Berlin, Dublin, Geneva, Mexico City and Buenos Aires, took to the streets to protest against Israel’s interception of the Gaza flotilla vessels. Anti-Israel rioters in some cities, including Barcelona, smashed windows and sprayed anti-Israel slogans on restaurants and shops.

“These protests are the only thing we can do,” one protester said while criticizing the acts of vandalism. “But doing it like this, I don’t think it’s right. We need to do it peacefully, with our words, not with actions,” she added.

Anti-Israel activists in Istanbul protested using antisemitic slogans, including, “Israel is massacring humanity, not Gaza/Do not be silent, do not sit, stand up.”

Anti-Israel activists in Italy occupied several universities in Rome, Milan and Bologna. Italian left-leaning unions openly called for a general strike in support of the Gaza flotilla. Some 100 marches were expected across the country.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto responded by blasting the disruptions caused by the anti-Israel activists.

“Does anyone really believe that blocking a station, an airport, a motorway or destroying a shop in Italy will bring relief to the Palestinian people?” he wrote on 𝕏.