The Video and International Response

On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video to social media showing himself strutting through a facility at Ashdod Port, waving a large Israeli flag, while 430 flotilla activists knelt on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs. According to the Times of Israel, Ben-Gvir can be heard shouting in Hebrew, "Welcome to Israel! We are in charge here!" as Israel's national anthem blared over a loudspeaker.

He also told guards to "not be bothered by their screams." A woman can be heard crying in the background.

Diplomatic Fallout

The international response came swiftly from governments not typically hostile to Israel.

According to Al Jazeera, Italy, France, the Netherlands, and Canada all summoned Israeli ambassadors to express formal indignation. Spain's Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares called the treatment of activists "monstrous." Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said she was "shocked" and demanded immediate release. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called Israel's actions "way out of line" and questioned the legal basis for seizing vessels in international waters.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the footage "unacceptable" and said it violated the "human dignity" of the detainees. Italy's foreign ministry confirmed a sitting member of parliament and a journalist were among those detained, according to the Times of Israel.

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand told reporters her government is acting with "absolute urgency" on what she described as a matter of "humane treatment of civilians," according to Al Jazeera.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee — appointed by Trump — said Ben-Gvir "betrayed the dignity of his nation" by posting the footage, according to Al Jazeera.

Netanyahu's Response

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare public criticism of Ben-Gvir, telling reporters the minister's conduct was "not in line with Israel's values," according to BBC News.

Netanyahu took no further action. He appointed Ben-Gvir to his cabinet despite the minister's history of extremism. Keeping Ben-Gvir in the cabinet while issuing a mild rebuke illustrates Netanyahu's political dependencies.

The Policy and Legal Questions

The flotilla was not a humanitarian mission — it carried, in BBC's own words, "a token amount of aid." Israel called it "a PR stunt at the service of Hamas."

Israel's blockade of Gaza may be legally and strategically defensible. The flotilla interception itself — done in international waters, roughly 250 nautical miles from Gaza according to BBC News — is a separate legal question that multiple allied governments are now openly challenging.

Ben-Gvir's actions have created a separate problem. The treatment of detainees in the video mirrors what the Times of Israel described as handling "akin to security forces' treatment of the most severe terrorists" in Israeli prisons. Four hundred and thirty civilians from 40-plus countries, including sitting parliamentarians and journalists from allied nations, were filmed kneeling bound on a dock while a cabinet minister taunted them.

Diplomatic Consequences

Ben-Gvir's stunt eliminated any diplomatic cover Israel had in defending the interception. Citizens from allied democracies — including elected officials and journalists — were detained in international waters and treated in a manner that major allies found indefensible.

Netanyahu is now paying the diplomatic bill. The incident affects arms approvals, UN votes, and the long-term legitimacy of Israel's position on Gaza. Ben-Gvir filmed and distributed the evidence himself.