Tens of thousands of people rallied across France on Monday in support of activists on a boat bound for Gaza that has been intercepted by Israeli authorities. President Emmanuel Macron has called for the “swiftest possible” return of the six French nationals aboard.
Demonstrators waving Palestinian flags, holding banners, and chanting slogans such as “Free Palestine” and “Gaza, Gaza, we are with you”, gathered in major French cities including Paris, Marseille, Lille, Lyon, Toulouse, Strasbourg and Nice, demanding the release of the 12 activists aboard the sailing vessel Madleen and the continuation of their humanitarian mission.
LFI, which called for the rallies, claimed 150,000 demonstrators nationwide, including 50,000 in Paris and reported “nearly 200 gatherings” across the country. National police recorded 24,700 participants in 97 rallies outside the capital and 8,000 in Paris.
A dozen activists – French, German, Brazilian, Turkish, Swedish, Spanish, and Dutch nationals – left Italy aboard the Madleen on 1 June to raise awareness of food shortages in Gaza, which the United Nations has called the "hungriest place on Earth".
After 21 months of war, the UN warns the entire 2-million population is at risk of famine.
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan of the hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI) were among those aboard.
The boat was “intercepted” overnight from Sunday to Monday by the Israeli military and arrived Monday evening at the Israeli port of Ashdod.
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Five French activists detained
Israel’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday it had deported activist Thunberg back to her home country of Sweden. It posted a photo of her seated on a plane.
Adalah, a legal rights group in Israel representing the activists, said Thunberg, two other activists and a journalist had agreed to be deported and leave Israel. The other eight activists refused deportation, were being held in detention and their case was set to be heard by Israeli authorities, Adalah said. The activists were expected to be brought before a court later Tuesday, the group added.
Sabine Haddad, a spokeswoman for Israel's Interior Ministry, said the activists who were being deported Tuesday had waived their right to appear before a judge. Those who did not will face one and will be held for 96 hours before being deported, she said.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday that one of the detained French activists signed an expulsion order and will leave Israel on Tuesday for France. The other five refused. He said all the activists received consular visits.
LFI said Rima Hassan, who is of Palestinian descent, was among those who had refused to sign.
"They refused to sign a document which, in addition to imposing a 100-year ban from Israeli territory, made it a condition that they acknowledge that their entry into the country was illegal, which is obviously absolutely false’, said Mathilde Panot, leader of the LFI deputies in parliament, at a press conference on Tuesday.
'Act of piracy'
Speaking at the Paris rally alongside other left-wing leaders, LFI figurehead Jean-Luc Mélenchon called the Israeli operation an act of “international piracy".
“We fear the worst, because those who carried out this interception have shown themselves capable of the worst under any circumstances,” said the former French presidential candidate.
He criticised the French government’s response, saying it “apparently has nothing to say about an act of piracy.” Mélenchon also called for a new “mass mobilisation of the French people in support of Palestinians” on 13 June.
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President Emmanuel Macron has requested that the French nationals be allowed to return to France as quickly as possible, the Elysée said.
On Monday evening Macron stated that France remained vigilant and “stands by all its citizens when they are in danger,” adding that Paris had conveyed all necessary messages to Israel to ensure the activists' protection.
He also condemned the humanitarian blockade on Gaza. "This is a scandal, unacceptable, that is playing out in Gaza. What's been happening since early March is a disgrace," he said.
French left-wing parties and groups such as Amnesty International argue the boat’s interception constituted a violation of international law.
(with newswires)
