‘I Want An Apology’: Meloni Slams Israeli 'Nonsense'; HAULS UP Bibi Over Ben-Gvir Flotilla Video

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]Let me breathe, Paula, let's go.

[00:00:08]Israel under fire after the shocking visuals of its extremist national security minister Itamar [music] Ben-Gvir mocking and harassing detained Gaza flotilla activists were shared by the radical minister himself.

[00:00:23]The visual sparked fury across [music] the world capitals and Italy, whose citizens are among the detained activists who were humiliated by the Israelis, sought an apology from Israel.

[00:00:38]Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni issued an unusually sharp statement condemning the treatment of the activists, including several Italian citizens detained during the flotilla incident.

[00:00:50]Calling the images unacceptable, Meloni said it was inadmissible that demonstrators were subjected to treatment violating human dignity, adding that the Italian government had already moved at the highest institutional levels to secure the immediate release of its citizens.

[00:01:07]Rome also demanded a formal apology from Israel over what Meloni described as total contempt toward explicit requests made by the Italian government. The diplomatic escalation [music] intensified further when Italy summoned the Israeli ambassador for formal explanations regarding the incident.

[00:01:27]The flotilla vessels departed Turkey earlier in May.

[00:01:31]While en route [music] to Palestinian territory, Israeli forces had begun stopping the flotilla around 167 miles or 268 kilometers from the Gaza coastline, according to the flotilla's website.

[00:01:45]Israel has called the flotilla a provocation for the sake of provocation with no real intent to deliver aid to Gaza, and so far have detained 428 activists linked to aid mission.

[00:01:59]But images of detained activists being mocked and humiliated carry enormous political sensitivity [music] in Europe, especially at a time when international criticism of Israeli military operations and [music] detention practices is already intensifying.

[00:02:18]While European governments continue to back Israel's security [music] concerns, patience is visibly thinning when incidents involving civilians, foreign nationals, or viral images [music] perceived as degrading begin dominating public discourse.

[00:02:44]I am standing here today to protest against our government and to demand an end to this war.

[00:02:51]Uh we are now 4 weeks into this conflict and still no one truly understands what the actual aim of this war is because uh in the beginning they said we are against the missiles, against nuclear weapons, maybe to take down the regime in Iran. Uh but after 2 weeks that it became clear to absolutely everyone that it was not going to happen. I encounter, even when we're not at war, um people don't like my views and I truly believe we keep missing crucial opportunities for peace. More than anything, I deeply wish that Israelis would genuinely see people who are not Jewish as truly equal and fellow human beings.

[00:03:34]Tensions are rising, not just on the battlefield, but on the streets of Tel Aviv.

[00:03:40]Clashes erupted between anti-war protesters and security forces in the Israeli commercial hub as scores hit the streets against ongoing conflict imposed on Iran. Free Palestine!

[00:03:55]Hundreds of people gathered in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities on Saturday >> [music] >> to protest the war involving Israel, the United States, and Iran. What began as small weekly demonstrations [music] with only a few dozen participants is now slowly gaining momentum, though turnout is still far lower than last year's massive protests against the Gaza war.

[00:04:20]The numbers are clearly rising. Several prominent voices joined the rallies, including former parliamentarians and major [music] left-wing groups.

[00:04:29]I am here at part of our protest demonstration against the war because I don't believe that war is a way to find a solution for complex problems. This is a war of folly, a war of choice, a war meant only to serve personal interests, and it has absolutely nothing to do with an existential threat.

[00:04:53]We are opposed to bloodshed. I am against bloodshed, especially that of innocent people, but overall, this is simply not the way. The path forward is to engage in dialogue and to reach agreements and understandings because we desire reconciliation and peace, not an endless war. I know that we are standing against truly formidable forces of evil, but we will fight and we will not relent. We will not return home. We will not give up until we triumph in this struggle. In the end, we will certainly prevail and bring sanity back to this place.

[00:05:22]But these protests defied wartime restrictions. Under current emergency guidelines, gatherings of more than 50 people are strictly prohibited.

[00:05:33]Authorities say these measures are necessary as Israel continues to face daily missile and rocket barrages from Iran and Lebanon, and now Yemen, in response [music] to its attacks on multiple countries.

[00:05:49]In Tel Aviv, officers pushed back demonstrators with force, knocking several to the ground. At least one protester was reportedly held in a chokehold during the crackdown. Police declared the gathering illegal as they say it violated emergency regulations enforced by the Home Front Command. At least 13 people were arrested in Tel Aviv. In the northern city of Haifa, five more individuals were detained.

[00:06:16]Police say those detained in Haifa had blocked roads and failed to comply with instructions from officers, but organizers are pushing back against the official narrative. In a statement, Standing Together accused authorities of attempting to silence dissent.

[00:06:33]They claimed police had been instructed to carry out arrests fearing the protest movement could expand.

[00:06:41]I am standing here today to protest against our government and to demand an end to this war.

[00:06:48]We are now 4 weeks into this conflict and still no one truly understands what the actual aim of this war is because uh in the beginning they said we are against the missiles against nuclear weapons, maybe to take down the regime in Iran, but after 2 weeks that it became clear to absolutely everyone that it was not going to happen. It's nothing less than this. Obviously, I truly believe that this war is This is clearly part of Bibi's overall strategic game plan. I personally don't have a particular fear of the Iranians themselves, but I truly believe that he has led the entire world, or at the very least the United States, into an incredibly dangerous and precarious situation. It seems no one has really considered how on earth we are ever going to extricate ourselves from this predicament. And um there's no end in sight.

[00:07:36]All of the truly intelligent individuals, the ones who really ought to be present here in such large numbers, and I genuinely cannot comprehend the reason why they are not currently here with us and that fact really disturbs and upsets me deeply. I am fully aware and understand that my personal opinions and perspectives are often perceived and labeled as quite extreme.

[00:07:49]I encounter, even when we're not at war, people don't like my views and I truly believe we keep missing crucial opportunities for peace. More than anything, I deeply wish that Israelis would genuinely see people who are not Jewish as truly equal and fellow human beings.

[00:08:09]Despite these protests, public support for the war in Israel remains high.

[00:08:15]According to a recent poll by the Israel Democracy Institute, 78% of Jewish Israelis support the war against Iran.

[00:08:24]In contrast, only 19% of Arab Israeli citizens back the conflict. The share of Israelis opposed to the war has increased from 4% in early March to 11.5% now. As the war enters its fourth week, Israel is facing pressure on two fronts, missiles from the skies and dissent on the streets.

[00:08:47]>> [music]