PARIS, Oct 6 (The African Portal) – More than 70 participants in the pro-Palestinian Global Sumud Flotilla, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, will be deported from Israel on Monday, AFP reported, citing diplomatc sources.
According to the news agency, nine Swedes, 28 French, 27 Greeks, and 15 Italians will be forced to leave Israel. Most of the detainees are expected to be flown to Greece.
The Global Sumud Flotilla (which translates from Arabic as “steadfastness” or “resistance”), consisting of more than 40 ships from different countries, set sail from Tunisia towards Gaza in mid-September. The mission’s goal was to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip and deliver humanitarian aid to its residents.
Israeli authorities repeatedly stated that they considered the activists’ actions to be provocative and would not allow their ships to approach the Gaza coast. As a result, Israeli Navy ships intercepted the flotilla, detaining all 400 activists and taking them to the Israeli coast. On October 3, Israeli authorities began deporting the activists, expelling a total of 170 flotilla participants from the country within three days.
Credit: TASS
