Defence Minister Vows to Stop ‘Hate Flotilla’ Carrying Climate Activist and Basic Supplies to Palestinians
TEL AVIV — In an explosive escalation of rhetoric, Israel’s defence minister has branded climate activist Greta Thunberg “anti-Semitic” and ordered the military to prevent her aid boat from reaching Gaza “by whatever measures are necessary.”
Israel Katz unleashed a blistering attack on the 21-year-old Swedish activist and 11 other humanitarian workers attempting to deliver flour, rice, baby formula and medical supplies to the besieged Palestinian territory.
“To the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propaganda spokespeople, I say clearly: You should turn back – because you will not reach Gaza,” Katz declared in a statement that sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles.
Military on High Alert
The Israeli Navy is mobilizing to intercept the British-flagged vessel Madleen, which set sail from Sicily on June 1 carrying desperately needed humanitarian supplies for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.
I have instructed the IDF to act to prevent the ‘Madleen’ hate flotilla from reaching the shores of Gaza – and to take whatever measures are necessary to that end,” Katz posted on social media platform X.
The defence minister’s inflammatory language — calling a humanitarian mission a “hate flotilla” — has raised concerns about potential confrontation in international waters.
Aid Mission Details
The Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, is carrying:
- Medical supplies and crutches
- Flour and rice
- Baby formula and nappies
- Women’s sanitary products
- Water desalination kits
- Children’s prosthetics
Named after Gaza’s first female fisherwoman, the vessel departed from the Italian port of Catania last Sunday with 12 activists aboard, including French-Palestinian European Parliament member Rima Hassan and Brazilian activist Thiago Avila.
Thunberg Speaks Out
In an emotional press conference before departure, Thunberg broke down in tears as she explained her mission.
“We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying,” she said. Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity.
Speaking live from the ship to Democracy Now!, Thunberg declared: “We deem the risk of silence and the risk of inaction to be so much more deadly than this mission.”
International Waters Showdown
The boat has already faced intimidation tactics, with activists reporting military helicopters shadowing the vessel and drones circling overhead. On Tuesday night, a Greek coastguard drone was spotted hovering over the Madleen.
“We are preparing for the possibility of interception,” said press officer Hay Sha Wiya, adding that the boat’s signal had been jammed earlier, causing tracking systems to falsely display its location as Jordan.
Diplomatic Tensions Rise
Both France and Britain are closely monitoring the situation, with French officials citing the presence of six French citizens aboard. Britain has reportedly rejected Israeli requests to prevent the boat from flying the UK flag.
A French diplomat told Israeli media that “France is prepared to offer aid to our citizens who are on board if necessary,” though they declined to specify what circumstances would trigger intervention.
Celebrity Support
The mission has drawn support from high-profile figures including “Game of Thrones” actor Liam Cunningham, who spoke at the boat’s launch.
Governments are not standing up for what their legal obligations are under international law, so it takes a disparate group like this to try and achieve it,” Cunningham said.
Deadly History
Israel’s threats carry particular weight given the deadly 2010 raid on another Gaza-bound aid ship, the Mavi Marmara. Israeli commandos stormed that vessel in international waters, killing nine activists. A tenth died after four years in a coma.
‘Breaking the Siege’
The activists say their mission is about more than delivering aid — it’s about challenging Israel’s blockade, which has been in place since 2007 when Hamas took control of Gaza.
“A month after our latest attempt to go on with this mission, the boat was bombed twice. All evidence suggests Israel,” Thunberg told supporters, referring to a drone attack on another Freedom Flotilla vessel in May.
Humanitarian Crisis
The mission comes as Gaza faces what the UN describes as catastrophic humanitarian conditions:
- Over 90% of Gaza’s population faces acute food shortages
- One in five Palestinians is facing starvation
- The territory has been under total blockade since March 2
- More than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war
Katz’s Justification
The defence minister defended the blockade as essential to Israeli security, claiming its “primary purpose is to prevent the transfer of weapons to Hamas, a murderous terror organization.”
He added ominously: “Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or aid terrorist organizations — at sea, in the air and on land.
Threats and Intimidation
The activists have faced a barrage of threats, including from US Senator Lindsey Graham, who wrote on X: “Hope Greta and her friends can swim!
Egyptian Waters Reached
As of Saturday, the Madleen had reached Egyptian coastal waters and is expected to approach Gaza within days, setting up a potential confrontation with Israeli forces.
“We are now sailing off the Egyptian coast,” German activist Yasemin Acar confirmed, as the vessel continues its journey toward what could be a dangerous showdown.
The Stakes
With Israel vowing to stop the boat “by whatever measures are necessary” and activists declaring they won’t turn back, the stage is set for a high-stakes confrontation that could have far-reaching diplomatic consequences.
As one crew member put it: “No matter how dangerous this mission is, it’s not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide.
The question now: Will Israel risk international condemnation by forcibly stopping a boat carrying humanitarian aid — and one of the world’s most famous activists?
Image credit: Greta Thunberg 01 by Anders Hellberg, taken on 31 August 2018 outside the Swedish parliament when she started her school strike, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution‑ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY‑SA 4.0)
