Welcome back to Global Overview, where we feature Israel the minister’s treatment of detained foreign activists, as well Russian-Belarusian nuclear drilling, and Pakistan sending one of his chief negotiators to Iran.
‘Harassment and humiliation’
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has stoked the fire widespread anger this week when he posted a video on social media mocking activists detained in an aid flotilla headed for Gaza. The incident sparked a rare outcry from within Israel and prompted several foreign governments to demand punitive measures.
Earlier this week, the Israeli Navy intercepted more than 40 aid ships en route to Gaza. Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs the suspect The Global Sumud Flotilla is a publicity stunt that aims to “serve Hamas” and says that the seizure of the ship was necessary to maintain Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, which has been in place since 2007.
The kidnapping alone drew heavy criticism, with foreign leaders saying that Israel has no jurisdiction in international waters; of Global Sumud Flotilla was east of the Mediterranean Sea (approx 250 nautical miles from Gaza) when he was arrested. But Ben-Gvir’s actions on Wednesday fueled further anger, with even some of Israel’s closest allies expressing shock at his behavior.
In videothe detained activists are seen kneeling on the floor with their hands tied and their foreheads pressed to the ground. Ben-Gvir stands above them, waving an Israeli flag and mocking individuals, shouting, “Welcome to Israel! We are the owners of the house!” He later wrote on X, “This is how we welcome the supporters of terrorism.”
Since then, several people in the flotilla have been details of their treatment and Israeli soldiers. “They kicked my legs and punched me in the face,” said Alessandro Mantovani, an Italian journalist who was one of about 430 people detained. A spokesman for Israel’s prison service dismissed the claims as “false and baseless.”
Following the release of the video, Belgium, Canada, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom—all of which had citizens among the flotilla members—summoned their Israeli ambassadors and senior diplomats.
“The photos of Israeli Minister Ben Gvir are unacceptable,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni he wrote on X. “It is not allowed for these protesters, including many Italian citizens, to be treated in this way, which violates human dignity.”
Several other countries, from Germany to Turkey to Indonesia, issued strong condemnations of the treatment of the activists. Among the most notable criticisms came from the US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Despite being a strong ally of Israel, Huckabee called Ben-Gvir’s actions “despicable,” adding that “the flotilla was (a) stupid, but Ben-Gvir betrayed the dignity of his nation.”
Some foreign officials too claim that Ben-Gvir and the Israeli government be punished for the incident. “At a minimum, this must include a ban on goods from Israeli settlements and the suspension of part if not all of the EU’s Community Agreement with Israel,” Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin wrote in a letter to European Council President António Costa.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that Warsaw will try to prevent the minister from entering the country, and the Italian Foreign Minister. Antonio Tajani he called on the European Union to sanction Ben-Gvir for “arresting activists in international waters and harassing and humiliating them, against basic human rights.”
Outrage over the video has become a domestic concern in Israel as well. In a rare rebuke, the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu he said that “the way Minister Ben Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists is not compatible with Israeli values and principles,” although he said that Israel has every right to prevent aircraft from entering its territorial waters. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel Gideon Saar he accused Ben-Gvir of deliberately causing damage to the government, writing, “No, you are not the face of Israel.”
Ben-Gvir, however, does not seem to have any regrets. “There are those in the government who still haven’t figured out how to deal with the supporters of terrorism,” he said. he wrote on X on Wednesday in response to Saar’s post. “Anyone who comes to our territory to support terrorism and join Hamas will be slapped, and we will not turn the other cheek.”
Today’s Most Read
What we’re after
Major nuclear drills. Russia in the hands nuclear weapons at storage facilities in Belarus on Thursday as part of Moscow’s biggest nuclear drill in years. The three-day exercise aimed to train about 64,000 personnel in “the preparation and use of nuclear power in the event of aggression.” Among the weapons demonstrated during the exercise are nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, anti-submarine warfare aircraft, and hypersonic and intercontinental ballistic missiles. Belarusian forces also received training in special equipment for the Iskander-M strategic missile system.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the use of nuclear weapons as a “last resort,” many analysts see the exercise as a practice — and a repeat. Russian drone attacks entering Europe—as a veiled threat to NATO members. Russia has previously used Belarus to launch attacks against Ukraine, and experts the suspect that Moscow may be planning new attacks aimed at Kyiv.
NATO chief Mark Rutte told reporters on Wednesday that the alliance was monitoring the exercise, which concluded on Thursday, and warned that the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine would be “devastating.” At the same time, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky he demanded on Thursday that Ukrainian drones destroyed another Russian oil refinery more than 500 miles from the two countries’ shared border.
More diplomacy, more threats. Pakistan sent one of its top negotiators, army chief Asim Munir, to Tehran on Thursday early conversation end the Iran war. The visit aimed to reduce the gaps between the United States and Iran’s peace proposals in order to reach the point of “officially announcing the acceptance of the agreement,” according to Iranian media. The details of the deal remain in dispute but are likely to include restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program and the return of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian he swore on Thursday to strengthen the country’s military in response to threats from the White House to resume heavy fighting if US President Donald Trump does not accept what he sees as “correct answersIran’s military is “fully prepared to give a decisive and brutal response” to any new attack, Pezeshkian’s office said.
These warnings have concerned negotiators, who worry that the lack of an improved communication process is hampering negotiations. “Trump’s patience is worrisome, but we are dealing with the speed at which messages are being sent from all sides,” one source familiar with the talks told the BBC. Reuters.
Castro was impeached. US federal grand jury charged Former Cuban President Raúl Castro was indicted Wednesday on charges of murder and conspiracy to kill American citizens in the downing of two civilian planes in 1996. The charges carry a sentence of life in prison, and raise the possibility that the U.S. military may try to remove Castro by force from that country to be brought to court in the United States.
The Trump administration has made no effort to hide its desire change of government in Cuba. Since the arrest of then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, the White House has done just that threatened from time to time to implement similar actions against the Cuban regime. Trump, however, stopped short of saying Wednesday whether this week’s indictment would serve as justification for removing 94-year-old Castro, who stepped down as president in 2018 but remains a powerful influence in Havana politics.
Cuba condemned the charges and accused the US of hypocrisy, citing the US military’s alleged attacks. drug smuggling boats in the region. “It is very absurd for this accusation to be issued by the same government that has killed almost 200 people and destroyed 57 ships in the international waters of the Caribbean and Pacific, far from the territory of the United States, using military force,” the Cuban government wrote. statement on Wednesday.
Odds and Ends
Record number of climbers it is finished Mount Everest in one day on Wednesday. Approaching from the Nepali side of the mountain, 274 people climbed, surpassing the one-day record of 223 climbers set in 2019. But the athletic success was not without controversy. Experts have criticized Nepal for allowing large groups to peak, which can lead to dangerous traffic jams or long lines in the so-called death zone. Kathmandu has tried to control this influx by introducing strict controls and high fees; a permit to climb Mount Everest costs about $15,000.
