The largest humanitarian flotilla to set out to take aid to Gaza ended last night in the same way as all the others: Israeli military stopped the initiative, arrested all those involved and is now conducting ‘deportation procedures’.
Among the scores arrested are at least three Portuguese: Left Bloc MP Mariana Mortágua, actress Sofia Aparício and activist Miguel Duarte.
Portuguese authorities have called for the country’s citizens to be treated “with dignity, and without violence” – and this appears to be what is happening.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced today that some of the activists from the flotilla will be transferred to Israeli territory, ahead of deportation procedures to Europe.
According to a statement from Israeli diplomacy released on social media, the citizens from various countries are all “safe and in good health.”
At least 13 vessels in the flotilla were intercepted last night – one of which was allegedly rammed in international waters, according to the flotilla’s organisation Sumud Global.
Israel has said with past stymied flotillas that before deportation activists will be shown the film of the Hamas massacre of Israeli citizens that prompted the current conflict.
In Copenhagen for an informal meeting of EU leaders, prime minister Luís Montenegro has said: “Our expectation is that everything will proceed as normal and that the return of these Portuguese citizens can also take place without any incidents.”
The government is “in contact with the Israeli authorities with a view to safeguarding the situation of these Portuguese people”, as “is the responsibility” towards all national citizens, “it being certain that the circumstance that one of these people is, furthermore, the member of a sovereign body, cannot be ignored.”
Luís Montenegro was referring here to the Left Bloc’s only MP who has been absent from national politics for weeks due to this initiative. He also said that as far as he was concerned, the message the flotilla intended to transmit, had been transmitted.
Source material: LUSA
