Israeli military diverts Gaza-bound aid ship carrying Greta Thunberg to Israel
The Israeli military has intercepted an aid ship which was attempting to reach the Gaza Strip defying Israeli naval blockade, and diverted the charity vessel carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists to Israel, Associated Press reported.
The British-flagged yacht Madleen, operated by the pro-Palestinian FFC, had departed from Sicily on June 6 and had hoped to reach Gaza later in the day, when the interception occurred, the group said on its Telegram account.
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First Post
31 minutes ago
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Greta Thunberg, activists pushed back from Gaza; Israel shares video of Madleen boat
Israel shared a video of the prominent activists who were onboard the Gaza aid ship, which will now head towards Ashdod Port. Defence Minister Israel Katz said that the passengers will be shown videos from October 7. read more Israel's Foreign Ministry shared a video showing the detained activists who were bound to an aid boat heading to Gaza. The Israeli authorities shared the video after seizing control of the vessel named 'Madleen', which was carrying prominent activists, including Climate Activist Greta Thunberg. The Israeli Foreign Ministry shared the video of the activists on board being given food and water. The Israeli authorities have been calling it a 'selfie yacht,' negating the importance of the mission. 'All the passengers of the 'selfie yacht' are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over,' the ministry wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier, the ministry noted that the boat was being towed to Israeli shores, and the activists would be deported soon after they arrive in Israel. The Israeli authorities noted that the 'tiny amount of aid' it was carrying would be sent to Gaza. All the passengers of the 'selfie yacht' are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over. — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025 Where is the boat now heading According to The Times of Israel, the Madleen and its passengers will be taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod. The Israeli news outlet reported that the naval unit, Shayetet 13, was responsible for the interception at around 3 am local time. Meanwhile, Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, issued a statement congratulating the Israeli army on the 'quick and safe takeover' of the Madleen, the Gaza-bound aid vessel. Katz said that activists would show the video of the October 7 attacks. 'I congratulate the IDF for the quick and safe takeover of the 'Madlan' flotilla to prevent them from breaking the blockade and reaching the shores of Gaza. I instructed the IDF to show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the October 7 massacre when they arrive at the port of Ashdod,' the Israeli defence minister said in the post. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Israeli Navy is currently communicating with the 'selfie yacht'. Using an international civilian communication system, the Israeli Navy has instructed the 'selfie yacht' to change its course due to its approach toward a restricted area. — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 8, 2025 'It is appropriate that the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas supporters see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organisation they came to support and for whom they work is, what atrocities they committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself,' he added. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the interception of the vessel and called for the protection of the crew onboard. The MFA based in the West Bank said that it 'appreciates their efforts and the extreme hardships and dangers they endured at sea in pursuit of this noble humanitarian goal of standing by our people in the Gaza Strip.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The Ministry calls on the international community and all countries to heed the call of international activists and their humanitarian message,' the ministry further reads.
NDTV
34 minutes ago
- NDTV
How China Has Been Blocking India's UNSC Actions Since The 2000s
In the India-Pakistan strategic dynamic, China has emerged as an inextricable third actor, turning a bilateral rivalry into a triangular matter. While military escalation in the subcontinent does not align with Beijing's strategic interests, its pro-Pakistan leanings often manifest on international platforms. Most recently, China blocked the designation of The Resistance Front (TRF), an alleged offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), following the 2025 Pahalgam attack. This move reflects a longstanding pattern: China has consistently complicated New Delhi's diplomatic efforts to isolate Pakistan-based groups in global forums. As India seeks broader consensus on counterterrorism designations, particularly at the UN Security Council (UNSC), China has frequently intervened by blocking or delaying the listing of individuals affiliated with anti-India groups such as LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). A 'technical hold' in the UNSC sanctions process allows a member state to indefinitely delay designation without a formal veto. For decades, China has exploited this to delay, if not deny, sanctions on Pakistan-linked terror architecture without triggering a diplomatic confrontation. The symbolic framing of China-Pakistan relations, famously described by former Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani as 'higher than mountains, deeper than oceans, stronger than steel, and sweeter than honey", for now has translated into sustained strategic cover for Pakistan on the international stage. Chinese media's description of terrorism in India, such as the Pahalgam attack, as a case of 'shooting' by local gunmen against civilians, further supports the Pakistani narrative of the conflict. 'Technical Holds' China's pattern of using 'technical holds' in the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee can be traced to the early 2000s. After the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, India began pushing for international sanctions against Pakistan-based outfits. While China supported the designation of groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks, it remained reluctant to target individuals associated with these anti-India groups, most notably JeM chief Masood Azhar, who was finally listed in 2019. India's first formal request to enlist Azhar came in 2009, following the Mumbai attacks and was followed up in 2016, 2017, and 2019. While international pressure eventually influenced this reversal after two decades, the exclusion of any reference to the Pulwama attack in the final listing allowed China to maintain that Azhar's designation was based on his long-standing links to terrorism rather than a specific attack on India. Over time, the Pathankot attack of 2016 and the Pulwama suicide bombing in 2019 resulted in intensified Indian diplomatic efforts targeting Pakistan-based terrorist leaders and groups. All efforts were impeded by China's technical holds, despite co-sponsorship by France, the UK, and the US. At large, this trend continues. In 2023, Beijing blocked a joint India-US proposal to list Abdul Rauf Asghar and other anti-India terrorists. Double Standards This stands in contradiction to China's own counterterrorism posture against separatist and Islamist groups that threaten Chinese nationals and investments in Pakistan, including in major cities like Karachi. In 2021, a suicide bomber affiliated with the Baloch Liberation Army's (BLA) Majeed Brigade attacked a convoy carrying Chinese engineers and workers, killing three Chinese nationals near the Jinnah International Airport and the Chinese consulate area in Karachi. China has also raised similar concerns with the Taliban administration in Afghanistan regarding the alleged presence of Uyghur militant groups, such as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). This antithetical approach serves dual purposes - mitigating pressure on Pakistan's influential military establishment while keeping India preoccupied with cross-border security challenges. The SCO Factor China's selective counter-terror posture also plays out in other multilateral groupings like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which remains a key arena for its regional influence. With India and Pakistan inducted as full members in 2017, China portrayed the bloc as a pan-Asia alternative to Western-led groupings. But India's strong stance against cross-border terrorism and leanings towards the QUAD bloc have complicated that narrative. India's limited participation in the SCO, especially since 2019, is increasingly shaped by the grouping's silence on cross-border terrorism allegations against Pakistan. India's decision to downgrade its summit participation to a virtual format in 2023 further challenges China's efforts to position the SCO as a counterweight to US influence in the region. For China, India's continued engagement in the SCO remains crucial for maintaining the bloc's diplomatic credibility. India could continue framing Chinese obstructionism as a significant concern for global counterterrorism efforts with the aim of raising the reputational and diplomatic costs of China's inaction, without relying solely on the UNSC system. India's widening engagement with QUAD, involving Australia, Japan, India, and the US, through military exercises and joint dialogues, will also keep China on edge by signalling a strengthened Indo-Pacific alliance countering the Chinese regional influence.
NDTV
34 minutes ago
- NDTV
Rima Hassan: French-Palestinian MP On Gaza-Bound Ship Intercepted By Israel
European Parliamentarian Rima Hassan and climate activist Greta Thunberg were among the 12-member crew aboard the Gaza-bound humanitarian ship "kidnapped" by Israeli commandos in international waters early Monday. The vessel Madleen, a British-flagged yacht operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was reportedly stopped around 2 am. Ms Hassan shared a photo from the yacht showing people in life jackets, seated with their hands raised as Israeli forces boarded the ship. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg Thunberg said in a video recorded before the raid that she and others had been " kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces." The Freedom Flotilla was carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza, aiming to challenge Israel's over 12-week-long naval blockade on the strip. Who Is Rima Hassan? Rima Hassan is a European Parliamentarian, elected on the France Insoumise (LFI) ticket in the 2024 June elections. She is the first French-Palestinian MEP in history. She is a 32-year-old legal scholar and human rights activist. She serves as a member of the European Parliament 's Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Subcommittee on Human Rights, and the Delegation for Relations with Palestine. Born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria in 1992, Ms Hassan grew up without official nationality until she became a French citizen in 2010 at age 18. She quickly rose to prominence as a vocal defender of Palestinian rights. She has accused Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza, referring to it as a "fascist colonial entity" and a "nameless monstrosity" that "lies every day." Often seen wearing a keffiyeh (Palestinian scarf), Ms Hassan gained support from pro-Palestinian groups. Since her election, she has been a leading voice in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and has become one of the most controversial figures in French politics. On February 27, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced she would be investigated for " terrorist apologism" due to her statements on Israel. Some members of France's centrist and far-right camps even called for stripping her of French citizenship, though these efforts were later walked back as legally baseless. Rima Hassan is often labelled "Lady Gaza", a nickname given by a comedian on public radio, who portrayed her as obsessively focused on Palestine.
