THE organisation behind the Madleen aid ship which was seized by Israeli forces has given an update on the status of the 12 crew members who were detained.
The Madleen was boarded and seized by Israeli forces in international waters early on Monday morning, after crews sounded an alarm after seeing multiple vessels approach and reporting drones spraying a white "irritant" substance on board.
The boat arrived in Ashdod port in Israel late on Monday evening, with Israel's foreign ministry attempting to depict the mission as a publicity stunt, branding the Madleen a "celebrity yacht".
On Tuesday, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) – the humanitarian organisation behind the Madleen – reiterated that four of the 12 activists have been deported, while eight remain in Israeli detention.
The crew members were all asked to sign documents consenting to deportation, which the coalition said was under the guise that they had entered Israel illegally.
One of those still in detention is Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israel said that Swedish climate and social justice campaigner Greta Thunberg had been deported and had been placed on a flight from Ben Gurion Airport to Paris.
The current condition of the 12 Madleen crew members is as follows:
- Baptiste Andre (France) – Deported
- Greta Thunberg (Sweden) – Deported
- Sergio Toribio (Spain) – Deported
- Suayb Ordu (Turkey) – Detained
- Mark van Rennes (The Netherlands) – Detained
- Pascal Maurieras (France) – Detained
- Reva Viard (France) – Detained
- Rima Hassan (France) – Detained
- Thiago Avila (Brazil) – Detained
- Yanis Mhamdi (France) – Detained
- Yasemin Acar (Germany) – Detained
- Omar Faiad (France) – Deported
The FFC confirmed that lawyers from human rights organisation Adalah were able to meet with 10 of the 12 crew members approximately 24 hours after the Madleen was intercepted by Israel.
Al Jazeera journalist Omar Faiad is represented separately through legal counsel arranged by his network, while French journalist Yanis Mhamdi is represented by private counsel.
A statement from the group reads: "Israel is handling the custody of all 12 as though they had entered illegally– even though they were forcibly abducted from international waters and brought into Israel against their will.
"Each of the volunteers was given two options: sign documents consenting to deportation, or remain in detention and appear before a tribunal. The FFC had encouraged some volunteers, if given the option, to agree to expedited deportation in order to restore access to communication – including the ability to speak freely and advocate for their fellow participants.
"All of them explicitly disputed the claim of unlawful entry in writing, affirming that Israeli law does not apply to them, that their mission was humanitarian in nature, and that both the boat’s interception and their detention are illegal."
The FFC added that those who refused to sign the deportation documents remain in detention and will appear before a tribunal.
The group continued: "Legal counsel will argue that the interception was unlawful, the detentions arbitrary, and that the volunteers must be released without deportation. The legal team will continue to demand that the volunteers be allowed to return to the Madleen and resume their lawful mission to Gaza.
"However, we know all too well that there is no justice to be found in Israel’s legal system, which functions primarily to legitimise and entrench colonization, occupation, and apartheid."
The statement added: "The FFC stands with the Madleen 12. Their detention is unlawful, politically motivated, and a direct violation of international law. The persecution of humanitarian action and the silencing of resistance will not succeed.
"The FFC acknowledges that by virtue of their passports of privilege, the Madleen 12 are shielded from the daily brutality and horrendous systemic torture Palestinians endure under Israeli occupation."
The group pointed towards evidence from the Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, a Palestinian NGO, which has said that as of June 4, there are more than 10,400 Palestinians held captive in Israeli dungeons.
The FFC said that of those, "more than 400 are children and more than 3500 are held without trial, charge, or minimal due process".
While there were no UK citizens on board the Madleen, the ship was sailing under a UK flag and was therefore under UK jurisdiction while in international waters.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has been urged to intervene and protect the crew. The UK Government has yet to provide an official statement.
The Foreign Office has been contacted again for comment.
