Flotilla video: Ben-Gvir's template of televised abuse was honed on Palestinians

Itamar Ben-Gvir has publicly celebrated abuse of detained Palestinians, including violence, rape, extreme hunger, and humiliation, often through posted video footage. Rights groups describe detention centres as torture camps for Palestinians and say mistreatment has become normalized in Israeli jails. Ben-Gvir has claimed to have changed prison conditions and has repeatedly showcased or participated in abusive visits. After Israeli forces intercepted more than 400 activists from 44 countries attempting to sail to Gaza with aid, Ben-Gvir posted a video of detainee abuse, including taunting kneeling captives with bound hands and foreheads to the ground. Global condemnation followed, prompting Netanyahu to issue a public rebuke while international leaders and foreign officials criticized the conduct.

"Ben-Gvir has made abuse of detained Palestinians something of a macabre calling card, celebrating cruelty publicly and often on video. During his time in office, violence including rape, extreme hunger and humiliation have been normalised in Israeli jails. Rights groups say detention centres have become torture camps for Palestinians. Ben-Gvir boasts of presiding over a prison revolution, telling lawmakers in 2024: I am proud that we have changed all of the conditions."

"He has repeatedly shared footage of visits where he showcases or participates in abuse. These displays have become normalised in Israel and were largely ignored internationally until this week, when he extended the template of televised mistreatment to foreign activists. More than 400 men and women from 44 countries were intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters as they tried to sail to Gaza with aid supplies."

"The next day Ben-Gvir posted a video of security forces abusing detainees. It included footage of him waving an Israeli flag and taunting rows of activists who had been forced to kneel with their hands bound and foreheads to the ground. Captioned Welcome to Israel, it prompted an immediate and overwhelming flood of condemnation from around the world, including from the leaders of Italy and Canada, foreign ministers across Europe and perhaps most unusually the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee."

"The scale of global outrage pushed the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to issue a public rebuke. Ben-Gvir's behaviour was not in line with Israel's values and norms, Netanyahu said although it fits the well-documented track record of his nearly four years in office. Yara Hawari, a co-director of Al-Shabaka, the Palestinian Policy Network, said on social media: Ben-Gvir's video publicising the abuse of captured flotilla activists"

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