Flotilla activist on 'racist' response to Ben Gvir's video of her

Added: 2026-06-04

[00:00:00]When Itar Bengavir, Israel's national security minister, recorded and published that video, analysts say he probably did so with his voters at home in mind. He probably also meant it to deter foreign civilians from joining future flatillas to Gaza. But he may not have been bargaining on global condemnation of Israel's handling of the civilians on board. For the first time in a series of violent interceptions, leaders and ambassadors of states closely allied with Israel spoke publicly against the visible conditions inside Israeli prisons and the behavior of the man in charge of them. Earlier this month, hundreds of activists were detained by armed Israeli naval commandos while trying to deliver aid to Gaza by boat. They were trying to carry aid consisting of food, baby formula, and medical aid for Palestinians in Gaza, where most of the population is living in dire conditions despite a ceasefire having formally been in place since October. Now, the woman that you can see being brutalized in the start of Bengavir's video with Benavir encouraging those throwing her to the ground is Kreiona Graham, one of the Irish participants on board. She joins us now. Kreiona, welcome to ME Live.

[00:01:12]Now, as shocking as that video surely was, here at Middle East Eye, and this will be true for many of our viewers and readers, we sadly see far worse video content of Israeli prisons and of Bengavir's self-documented actions on a fairly regular basis. Were you surprised that it was this video that caused such global outrage?

[00:01:34]Unfortunately, I think we're all very aware of the racist system that we are trying to fight against and struggle against as part of the movement and the struggle for Palestinian liberation. So while it is always positive to see condemnation of Israel and Israel's actions, h I think it is unsurprising that it is a video where this kind of violence is being shown, this kind of uh harm and this tone and narrative of humiliation is being done to European and worldwide citizens that this suddenly gets condemnation from international governments. But as you say, we are very aware that this that this kind of action has been taken by Ben Bengavir many many times against Palestinian detainees and we have not seen the same kind of condemnation and what is done to people of Palestine in detention is far far worse than anything we experienced. So just because of the tone and the color of our skin, we are seeing this condemnation that should have happened many many years ago.

[00:02:37]Nevertheless, this did cause condemnation and it was not least because of that shot of you being brutalized while the man in charge, Bengavir, gleefully encourages it. Can you share with us what you were feeling in that moment? Why did you shout free Palestine? Did you understand the risk that you were taking?

[00:02:57]So in that moment uh there was a line between there was about 10 of us from the flotillaa and a line of commandos in front of us and then a ring of commandos around Bengavir. So I was quite aware of the risk and the potential for hard consequences of uh taking some kind of action. But for me, it's very important that we as citizens of the world take any opportunity that we can to speak truth to power. and knowing the harm that this man as part of the Israeli system has caused to so many millions of people in Gaza, in Fallstine, and across the world, uh I don't think it would be acceptable to to stay silent if there is any possibility of using the privilege that I have to try to uh disrupt this man's peace. Um, I think that we need to do whatever we can and unfortunately as citizens, uh, we can only do so much and we are doing what we can do.

[00:03:54]>> Did, as part of that, sorry, I just have to, as part of that, did you know that he was filming, did you, did you see that this could be a moment that was shared beyond the walls of that of that detention center?

[00:04:05]>> I did see some cameras uh, and I saw that he was speaking to cameras, but I would never have thought that it would be voluntarily shared. I think it speaks to the hubris that they have around uh being in this bubble in Israeli media, having this very strong propaganda machine that it's possible they forget what other kinds of eyes are going to take from seeing content like this. But unfortunately because of the uh call out that we've seen from the international community, the rest of the Knesseta, the rest of the Israeli leadership only tried to scapegoat Benavir and it was more about the tone of the video than it was about the torture and abuse both of flotilla participants and Palestinian detainees.

[00:04:46]>> Yet there was very widespread uh condemnation and among those commenting was your prime minister Mikol Martin. He said on X that he was appalled at the shocking behavior of Bengavir. Um with all of the caveats that you have described, does this diplomatic backlash constitute at least a victory for the flatillaa?

[00:05:06]It for me victory comes with impact and it comes with impact for the people in Gaza, for the people across Palestine.

[00:05:13]So this is some kind of progress. Uh it is a window of opportunity. But for me, I will not see anything as true victory until we have seen situation on the ground changing. So while these words of condemnation, while seeing governments calling in uh the Israeli ambassadors to have meetings, this is something, it's not nothing. But what has to happen next is actual measures. We need to see Israel isolated in the international space. We need to see sanctions. We need to see real systems of accountability.

[00:05:45]We need to see the international institutions and laws actually being upheld finally. So for me, there is no victory until we see proper true Palestinian liberation.

[00:05:55]>> And shortly on the show, we will be speaking to and hearing from Palestinians in Gaza about the reality on the ground right now. Um, look, I want to talk to you about Nat Netanyahu's response to Bengavir's video. Amid all this condemnation, the Israeli prime minister said uh that these are not in line with Israel's values, these actions of Bengavir. What do you think of that?

[00:06:16]I think it is very clear what the values of Israel are. Uh violence is absolutely inherent to the core operating system of the Israeli state. If it wasn't for the kinds of violence and dehumanization that they perpetrate against the people of Palestine day in day out for decades now, then the Israeli state would not be able to be upheld. and speaking about Israeli values when it comes to the tone of a video where we have seen very similar videos uh being shown from Israeli detention centers where Bengabir is undertaking to humiliate uh Palestinian people who are held in horrific conditions who show in times signs of torture that far worse than what we experienced and yet there's no condemnation there. There's no speaking about a betrayal of Israeli values there. So, it also shows not only the violence that is inherent to the Israeli system, but also the deep-seated racism because suddenly when it's white people and white bodies that are being shown to be tortured, to be humiliated, that is against Israeli values. But if it's black and brown bodies, that is absolutely part for the course and acceptable and even celebrated.

[00:07:26]>> Now, an aspect of that treatment which has not been commented on by these leaders or Ben is sexual violence.

[00:07:32]Global summit teller organizers said that there were at least 15 reports of sexual violence made by participants against Israeli authorities. I want to understand how this sort of started to emerge. Did firsthand accounts begin to emerge while you were all in detention and how were these handled by the group?

[00:07:52]>> So uh this was actually the second kidnapping that took place as part of this flotilla mission. The first kidnapping was off the coast of Greece and unfortunately already after that kidnapping uh immediately there were some reports and disclosures of sexual abuse and of rape. Um and then this escalated with a higher proportion uh coming out of this kidnapping. So it's the these moments in detention it's very hard to find space with each other but all that you have is is that connection.

[00:08:25]So wherever it's possible that we can speak to each other. I mean the the night that we had in Katyadot in the uh prison in occupied Palestine, we were moved over the course of the night through four different cells. So it was some opportunity to see each other and to connect and hear news and stories of people's experiences. So at one point I was in the cell with two women who had been on the other prison boat uh while we were on the prison boats for two nights. And that was the first time that we uh from my boat heard about the extent of the violence, the beatings, the assaults, the torture that was perpetrated against our comrades on that boat. So it is moments for connection.

[00:09:05]It's moments for solace. Um but then it takes time to put the pieces back together afterwards. I know that on that second prison boat, they basically had to set up the medics and doctors that were there set up basically 247 triage spaces because of the extent of the violence, the harms, the beatings, the broken bones, the assaults that had been experienced. And that was the first time that they started to be able to put together the scale of what had been going on. And part of that was because as they called for support after people had broken bones, etc., concussions. Uh there was no response from the IOF. Uh they did not offer medical support, medical treatment. So there's this staging progress as we start to get more information and start to get the full picture of how we can support each other. Uh even if you're handcuffed, you know, you can try and lean against each other something to find some kind of support. And I think for many of us, it brought home the the deep harm of our Palestinian comrades who go through these experiences but are left in complete isolation. I mean, we know this whole time it is extremely likely that we are going to be there for a couple of days, that we will get out, that we will get be able to hug our family, our friends, that we will be able to speak out about our experiences, draw attention to it, that we can try to have some possibility of accountability take place. But unfortunately, that is not the reality for our Palestinian comrades.

[00:10:29]>> Did you did you see any Sorry. Did you see any Palestinian detainees or any signs of the presence of Palestinian detainees while you were in Israeli detention?

[00:10:39]>> So both last mission and this mission uh we didn't see any Palestinian detainees in Ket. Uh but we did see signs on the walls of messages uh from Palestinian people who had been there before. In the last mission, in a few cells, we managed to find some prayer beads. Um, which all of these things, messages written on the walls, prayer beads, little signs of the life and continuation of life, continuity of life between uh people in these cells again deepens that connection. Um, and so in one of the cells that we were in, we saw dates on the wall. Uh, so somebody had written that they had been held in that cell for 10 years and had been released just or taken out, sorry, taken out from that cell just a few days before we were put into it. Um, and the message was that they didn't know in being removed if they were about to be freed or moved to another cell to another space in the prison. So this brings home the uncertainty that people go through, the lack of access to information, the lack of news, the lack of uh access to the outside world. So we we carry those little pieces with us for sure. And I know one of the comrades managed to remember the name of somebody written on the wall, spoke about this online. And a woman in Gaza has put out a video response uh saying that she had heard no news of her husband for many years and that it was his name and and likely it was him that had written that message.

[00:12:05]>> Oh my goodness. Wow.

[00:12:06]>> All these little moments are just so important.

[00:12:09]>> Yeah. Now, um, as we speak, Kiona, there was also an overland humanitarian mission seeking to get aid to Gaza through Egypt. It has now had to conclude its attempt after facing obstructions in Libya where 10 of the participants were detained. Can you give us any update about their status?

[00:12:29]So we know that the Italian council has been able to have contact with the Italian citizens there and has managed to uh improve the conditions for all 10.

[00:12:40]We are calling on their immediate release and we are hoping to see their release uh as soon as possible.

[00:12:46]>> Kreiona Graham, thank you so much for your time. Now, in response to the Fatillaa's efforts to get aid to Gaza, Israel says that this is futile and has described Gaza as flooded with aid. The foreign ministry said that more than 1.5 million tons of aid had entered the territory over the past seven months.

[00:13:03]ME's own reporting paints a different picture. Many Palestinians in Gaza were unable to celebrate Eid for the third year in a row amid ongoing attacks, aid restrictions, and widespread displacement in the strip. Since the war began, over 90% of Gaza's livestock sector have has been destroyed. and Israel blocks the entry of live animals into the enclave, worsening food insecurity for Gaza's residents.

[00:13:28]Uncertainty around the entry of aid then causes prices to skyrocket, meaning Palestinians are struggling to secure basic food items, let alone the goods needed to celebrate Eid. Me was on the ground.

[00:14:06]Uhchech.

[00:14:46]for Islam. Um, Now on to the wider regional