Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sparked global outrage earlier this week after promoting a video of himself taunting activists from the flotilla to Gaza who were detained by his police force. (Screenshot)
AMN / WEB DESK
A joint coalition of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers has slammed Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir after he posted videos mocking detained Gaza aid activists.
The ministers representing Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkiye, Pakistan, and Indonesia released a scathing statement from Riyadh on Sunday, labeling the footage a “shameful assault on human dignity.”
What the videos showed:
- Ben-Gvir waving a massive Israeli flag over bound, hunched-over detainees.
- The minister shouting “Am Yisrael Chai” at a kneeling activist in zip-ties.
The 430 detainees were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza. The incident was so polarizing it even triggered pushback from Israel’s own Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
The diplomatic coalition warned that these actions are actively driving extremism and burying hopes for a peaceful two-state solution. They are now calling for international intervention to hold Ben-Gvir accountable and protect the fundamental human rights of the detainees.
The foreign ministers of the Kingdom, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkiye, Pakistan, and Indonesia said that the deliberate public humiliation inflicted by Ben-Gvir on the detainees constitutes a shameful assault on human dignity and a clear violation of Israel’s obligations under international law.
The ministers also condemned in the strongest terms the unlawful and extremist incitement and violence perpetrated by Ben-Gvir and other Israeli officials against Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The ministers warned that Ben-Gvir’s provocative actions fuel hatred and extremism and undermine efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution.
They demanded that Ben-Gvir be held accountable for his actions and called for concrete measures to end his repeated provocations, incitement, and violations, to prevent him from continuing his threats and to ensure that such actions are not tolerated or repeated.
The ministers further stressed the need to protect the human rights and dignity of all detainees, ensure their humane treatment, and guarantee full respect for international law in the occupied Palestinian territory.