Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister of Italy, has vehemently denounced the "unacceptable" treatment of activists on charity flotillas headed for Gaza. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's far-right National Security Minister, released a controversial video that sparked the outcry.
Earlier, Itamar Ben-Gvir shared a video of detained activists from a flotilla headed for Gaza kneeling with their foreheads on the ground and their hands chained behind their backs.
The video, titled "Welcome to Israel" and posted on Ben Gvir's X account on Wednesday, featured the minister waving an Israeli flag and dozens of activists on the deck of a naval boat while the Israeli national song plays.
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The move has now drawn sharp criticism from the Italian PM, causing a diplomatic rift between Rome and Jerusalem.
In a post on her official X handle, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, wrote, "The images of the Israeli minister Ben Gvir are unacceptable. It is inadmissible that these demonstrators, including many Italian citizens, are subjected to this treatment that violates human dignity."
"The Italian Government is immediately taking, at the highest institutional levels, all necessary steps to secure the immediate release of the Italian citizens involved. Italy further demands an apology for the treatment reserved to these demonstrators and for the total contempt shown toward the explicit requests of the Italian Government."
"For these reasons, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will immediately summon the Israeli ambassador to request formal clarifications on what has occurred," she concluded.
Italy has now summoned the Israeli ambassador in response to what Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called "unacceptable" treatment of activists on an aid flotilla headed for Gaza.
In order to obtain the release of Italian citizens engaged in the incident, the Italian government stated that it was acting immediately at the highest institutional levels.
Rome also called for an apology from Israel for the way it treated protestors and for allegedly ignoring its clear pleas. Because of these factors, the Israeli ambassador will be called right away by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to ask for official clarification on what transpired," the statement continued.
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In the past, Global Sumud Flotilla claimed that Israel had taken control of every ship in its assistance convoy.
Together, they were transporting 428 individuals from 44 nations when they left the Turkish neighbourhood of Marmaris in a fresh effort to end the unlawful Israeli siege that has been in place on Gaza since 2007.
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