RAMALLAH, May 22, 2026 (WAFA) – The Presidency condemned on Friday Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and occupation forces’ treatment of the abducted Gaza-bound Global Sumud flotilla activists.
The Presidency affirmed that intercepting the flotilla vessels in international waters not only constitutes an illegal act, but also amounts to an act of maritime piracy, and a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, as well as a blatant assault on freedom of navigation and international humanitarian and solidarity efforts.
It also condemned the humiliation, abuse and insults the abductees were subjected to, including forcing some to listen to the Israeli national anthem, in what it said was a flagrant violation of all humanitarian values and international norms.
It pointed to Ben-Gvir’s inflammatory remarks and his boasting about the detention of the activists and call to keep them imprisoned for the longest possible period, saying this reflects the racist and extremist mentality governing the policies of the occupation government and its insistence on continuing violations against the Palestinian people and all those expressing solidarity with them.
The Presidency saluted the courage of the activists participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, describing them as representing the conscience of free humanity, and praised their noble humanitarian and moral stances.
It called on the international community, the UN, and all countries to assume their legal and humanitarian responsibilities toward the Palestinian people, lift the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip, and work to halt the ongoing Israeli attacks against the Palestinian people, their land and holy sites.
It also urged international actors to pressure Israel, the occupying Power, to end its grave violations of international law and provide protection for international activists so they can carry out their important role in supporting and ending the historical injustice inflicted upon the Palestinian people through ending the occupation and realizing the independence of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.
K.F.
