The return of activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla to Spain was marked by tense scenes at Bilbao airport on Saturday. Clashes broke out with the Ertzaintza, the Basque autonomous police, after the activists blocked an arrivals exit while posing for media. Four were arrested on charges of disobedience, resisting authority, and assaulting an officer.
By contrast, another 20 activists landed at Barcelona-El Prat without incident, greeted by around 200 supporters with Palestinian flags.
The activists had been seized five days earlier in international waters en route to Gaza with humanitarian aid. Israel intercepted the flotilla, citing a legal naval blockade. One Spanish activist, Santiago González Vallejo, reported that Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, told them "neither Palestine nor Gaza exist" and branded them "terrorists." González said he and others suffered blows, painful restraint holds, and withdrawal of medication.
The organizing coalition is considering legal action over arbitrary detention and ill-treatment.
Diplomatic fallout continues. France has barred Minister Ben Gvir from entering its territory over "humiliating and threatening" behaviors toward detained European citizens. Paris and Italy plan to push for EU sanctions against Ben Gvir.
Meanwhile, Israel summoned the Spanish Chargé d’Affaires, Francisca Pedrós, to denounce Spain’s "hypocrisy" for condemning Israel’s blockade while Spanish authorities used severe violence against the same flotilla participants.