Ben-Gvir Faces Condemnation After Sharing Videos of Detained Flotilla Activists

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has drawn international condemnation this week after promoting videos showing him taunting activists detained from a flotilla bound for Gaza. The footage, which the minister shared, shows him interacting with approximately 430 detainees from the Global Sumud Flotilla, who were held by police forces under his authority.

In one clip, Ben-Gvir waves a large Israeli flag over detainees who are hunched over with their hands apparently bound. In another, he is seen yelling "Am Yisrael Chai," a Hebrew phrase meaning "The nation of Israel lives," at a kneeling detainee whose wrists are zip-tied. A third segment shows the detainees with their foreheads to the floor of an outdoor enclosure as the Israeli national anthem plays, surrounded by armed guards.

The incident prompted criticism from foreign leaders and from within Israel's own government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir's coalition partner, condemned the minister's on-camera treatment of the detainees.

Ben-Gvir, a 50-year-old lawmaker, has a long history of provocative actions. He was denied entry into the military as a teenager due to his extreme views and has been...