‘International piracy’: French officials call for release of Gaza activists
France’s President Emmanuel Macron has called on Israel to quickly free activists, including Greta Thunberg, after a naval operation that sparked angry protests in the country.
Macron “requested that the six French nationals be allowed to return to France as soon as possible”, his office said. Paris was “vigilant” and “stands by all its nationals when they are in danger”, he added.
The French government demanded Israel ensure the “protection” of all the activists in custody. Macron also called the humanitarian blockade of Gaza “a scandal” and a “disgrace”.
Rallies in Paris and at least five other cities were called by left-wing parties. Jean-Luc Melenchon, the head of the France Unbowed party, called the seizure of the Gaza-bound boat by the Israeli military “international piracy”.
Europeans demonstrate after Israel’s Gaza aid ship seizure
Tens of thousands of people in Europe staged rallies after Israel stopped the Gaza aid ship Madleen and detained 12 activists in international waters.
Angry demonstrations took place in the United Kingdom and France. In Switzerland, people blocked train stations in Geneva and Lausanne to protest Israel’s military assault on Gaza, media reports said.
Some 300 protesters carrying Palestinian flags occupied two tracks at Geneva’s main station for about an hour, leading to delays and cancellations. A similar protest was staged in nearby Lausanne, where police cleared the tracks.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said earlier that “all the passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’ are safe and unharmed”, and it expected the activists to return to their home countries.
Staff from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) stage a demonstration against the militarisation of aid in Gaza, in Geneva
Israel ‘flouted its legal obligations’ towards Gaza civilians with ship seizure
Israeli naval forces, far from the country’s shores, intercepted and seized a Gaza-bound ship carrying international activists. The seizure sparked accusations that Israel’s actions are a breach of international law.
Robbie Sabel, an international law expert and former legal adviser to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, said states don’t have the right to seize ships in international waters, but there are exceptions including during armed conflict.
But Suhad Bishara – head of the legal department at Adalah, a legal rights group in Israel representing the activists – said Israel was not justified in acting against a ship in international waters that posed no military threat.
“In principle, Israel cannot extend an arm into international waters and carry out whatever action against a ship there,” she said.
Amnesty International’s Secretary-General Agnes Callamard agreed.
“By forcibly intercepting and blocking the Madleen, which was carrying humanitarian aid and a crew of solidarity activists, Israel has once again flouted its legal obligations towards civilians in the occupied Gaza Strip,” Callamard said in a statement.
