Israel deported activist Greta Thunberg yesterday, a day after the Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized by the Israeli military.
Speaking upon arrival in Paris en route to her home country of Sweden, Thunberg called for the release of the other activists who were detained aboard the Freedom Flotilla.
She described a “quite chaotic and uncertain” situation during the detention.
The conditions they faced “are absolutely nothing compared to what people are going through in Palestine and especially Gaza right now,” she said. The trip was meant to protest Israeli restrictions on aid to Gaza’s population of over 2 million people after 20 months of war, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group behind the journey.
“We were well aware of the risks of this mission,” Thunberg said. “The aim was to get to Gaza and to be able to distribute the aid.” She said the activists would continue trying to get aid to Gaza.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump called Thunberg “a young angry person” and recommended she take anger management classes.
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“I think the world need a lot more young angry women,” Thunberg said yesterday in response.
Thunberg said it appeared she was headed back to Sweden, hadn’t had access to a phone in a few days and wanted a shower. The activists were held separately and some had trouble accessing lawyers, she added.
Asked why she agreed to deportation, she said, “Why would I want to stay in an Israeli prison more than necessary?”
Thunberg called on supporters to ask their governments “to demand not only humanitarian aid being let into Gaza but most importantly an end to the occupation and an end to the systemic oppression and violence that Palestinians are facing on an everyday basis.”
She said recognising Palestine is “the very, very, very minimum” that governments can do to help.
Thunberg was one of 12 passengers on the Madleen. Israeli naval forces seized the boat without incident early Monday about 200 kilometers (125 miles) off Gaza.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, along with rights groups, said Israel’s actions in international waters were a violation of international law. Israel rejects that charge, saying such ships intend to breach what it argues is a lawful naval blockade of Gaza.
Israel viewed the ship as a publicity stunt, calling it the “selfie yacht” with a “meager” amount of aid that amounted to less than a truckload.