Israel Accused Of Detaining Greta Thunberg In Infested Cell And Forcing Her To Hold Flags

The environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg has told Swedish officials she is being subjected to harsh treatment in Israeli custody following her detention and removal from a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, according to correspondence seen by The Guardian.

According to the correspondence, Israeli forces were also reported by another detainee to have taken photographs in which Thunberg was allegedly forced to hold flags. The identity of the flags remains unknown.

In an email sent by the Swedish foreign ministry to people close to Thunberg, and seen by The Guardian, an official who visited the activist in prison said she described being held in a cell infested with bedbugs, with too little food and water.

"The embassy has been able to meet with Greta," reads the email. "She informed of dehydration. She has received insufficient amounts of both water and food. She also stated that she had developed rashes which she suspects were caused by bedbugs. She spoke of harsh treatment and said she had been sitting for long periods on hard surfaces."

"Another detainee reportedly told another embassy that they had seen her [Thunberg] being forced to hold flags while pictures were taken. She wondered whether images of her had been distributed," the Swedish ministry’s official added.

The allegations were corroborated by at least two other members of the flotilla detained by Israeli forces and released on Saturday.

"They dragged little Greta [Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others," said Turkish activist Ersin Çelik, a participant in the Sumud flotilla, to the Anadolu news agency.

Lorenzo D’Agostino, a journalist and flotilla participant, said after returning to Istanbul that Thunberg was "wrapped in the Israeli flag and paraded like a trophy."

Thunberg was among 437 activists, parliamentarians, and lawyers aboard the Global Sumud flotilla, a coalition of more than 40 vessels carrying humanitarian aid in an attempt to breach Israel’s 16-year maritime blockade of Gaza. Between Thursday and Friday, Israeli forces intercepted all boats and detained every crew member. Most detainees are being held at Ketziot (Ansar III), a high-security prison in the Negev desert.

The Swedish official said in the email that Thunberg was asked to sign a document during questioning.

"She expressed uncertainty about what the document meant and did not want to sign anything she did not understand," reads the email.

The official added that Thunberg has had access to legal counsel.

The Swedish foreign ministry said embassy officials had visited nine detained Swedes on Friday and were pressing Israel to ensure swift processing, access to lawyers, medical care, food, and clean water.

The Israeli embassy, however, rejected all allegations as "complete lies."

"All detainees from the Hamas-Sumud provocation were given access to water, food and toilets; they were not denied access to legal counsel, and all their legal rights, including access to medical care, were fully upheld.

"Israel is and will remain a state governed by the rule of law, committed to upholding the rights and dignity of all individuals in accordance with international standards."