Israel has already proven it’s the good guy by spraying the Madleen with an unknown chemical, ramming the vessel, boarding it and making the crew throw their mobile phones overboard.
Israeli commandos were so nice during the encounter that they agreed not to kill anyone as long as they showed total obedience. In fact, the commandos showed such restraint that they didn’t even strip anyone naked. Well, not that I know of…
Israel was temporarily nice to the crew of the Madleen so it could get a propaganda picture and then it took them ashore where it tried to make them watch footage of October 7. When the crew refused, it demanded they sign deportation papers accepting they had illegally entered Israel, even though they were in international waters and it was Israel who took them to Israel!
I understand some of the Madleen crew signed the deportation papers and were sent on their way, but disgracefully, Rima Hassan refused to be repatriated. Apparently, she wouldn’t confess to something she hadn’t done because she has “principles”. Israel says it therefore has no choice but to keep her as a hostage, I mean an, um, prisoner.
Obviously, prisoner is the only accurate word to describe someone who is being illegally detained, having committed no crime. Hassan can’t be a hostage because she smiled defiantly and ate a sandwich and no hostage would ever eat a sandwich. It disrespects all those who were captured on October 7 to call Hassan a hostage, just because she is being held against her will after being abducted by armed men.
I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but Hassan is Palestinian and it’s fine to treat Palestinians this way. It’s what Israel has always done x
I think there’s a big difference between being taken hostage and being taken into custody before getting deported, but must be just me…
Israel has no jurisdiction in international waters. Boarding a vessel uninvited under those circumstances is an illegal aggression. Some states would consider it an act of war.
Actually, it’s an act of piracy.
Piracy Under International Law
That too
You can only legally take someone into custody if you have jurisdiction there. You could argue whether they do or do not have jurisdiction in the waters that Palastine claims but they were not even there, they were in international waters. That is kidnapping.
…especially since she was only detained after refusing to sign papers. I bet, those hostages from October 7 would have loved to have that choice…
But hey, this trip mainly exists to be exploited in terms of propaganda. Both ways, btw. One sides wants to have “a huge scandal”, one side wants to show how “proper and exemplary” the situation is handled. I’m sure both sides are getting their fair share out of it and this article is a part of the “huge scandal” fraction. In the end, nothing will change, as always; the conflict will carry on, as always; and the hatred for the other side will live on, as always.
They were “detained” after they were kidnapped by the army and forced into an Israeli port from international waters.
Nothing of that was done with the consent of the people. Claiming they were only “detained after refusing to sign papers” is like claiming the hostages of Oct. 7 only became hostages when they were in Gaza.
Genuine question: is there any impartial/independent confirmation about the ship being boarded in international waters? Israel is exercising a naval blockade of Gaza in line with the war between the two parties and based on prize law is actually allowed to board and inspect all ships heading to Gaza.
I’m not the one drawing comparisons between these people and the hostages of Oct. 7. And frankly, it is a very very stupid comparison to make. These people can sit in a plane home the moment they sign a paper. Hassan doesn’t want to sign the papers, hence will be brought before a judge this week and then will sit in a plane home. The hostages of Hamas would love to be able to do either of that. But they are neither offered anything to sign nor are they brought before a judge. Even someone filled with blind hatred for Israel should be able to make that distinction.
CNN and Euronews both confirm that the British ship’s transponder was in international waters close to Egypt when Israeli forces attacked it and took its passengers, among them a French MEP hostage, who they have not released since.
Thanks!
e: do you have specific links? The two articles I found on CNN and Euronews only cite FFC themselves when stating that the ship was boarded in international waters. I’m not saying it didn’t happen that way, I’d just like a more independent confirmation of the situation.
Yea, you just made that up.
Israel’s blockade is far from uncontroversially legal:
Crucially, a legal blockade IS NOT ALLOWED TO STOP HUMANITARIAN AID: https://theconversation.com/there-are-clear-laws-on-enforcing-blockades-israels-interception-of-the-madleen-raises-serious-questions-258562
I didn’t. It is even linked in the article you posted (San Remo Manual). They are allowed to board and inspect. They aren’t allowed to detain the ship if it doesn’t carry prohibited goods and they aren’t allowed to do it in international waters. Which is why the question of where they boarded is important.