GRETA Thunberg’s latest Gaza flotilla turned back just hours into its trip, after Israel threatened to throw her into a terrorist cell.
After raising anchor to much fanfare, her ship made a humiliating return to the port in Barcelona on Sunday.
EPAGreta Thunberg’s second Gaza-bound flotilla was forced to turn back due to bad weather[/caption]
GettyGreta waved to thousands of supporters as the flotilla set sail[/caption]
ReutersThe Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Barcelona on Sunday morning but had to turn back just hours later[/caption]
Eco zealot Thunberg, 22, launched her first “Freedom Flotilla” with a small stash of aid back in June – but was promptly deported by the Israelis.
Their mission is to deliver supplies to Gaza and break the blockade Israel has imposed on it since 2007.
This time around the flotilla – called The Global Summud Flotilla – is considerably bigger, with around 20 ships.
It is packed full of more activists – including Ada Colau, the former mayor of Barcelona, and once again Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham.
But just hours after departing on Sunday morning, Greta’s ship decided to head back due to bad weather, RAC1 reports.
It’s not clear whether some just some of the boats made a U-turn or if it involved the whole flotilla.
Captains of the boats were due to meet this morning to assess whether they can have another stab at the leaving the Med.
Meanwhile, after accusing Thunberg of antisemitism, figures in Israel’s government have warned she could be thrown into jail when she rocks up again.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, is planning to present Prime Minister Netanyahu with a plan to detain the activists in harsh “terrorist-level” conditions in the Ktzi’ot and Damon detention centres for females, according to newspaper Israel Hayom.
The plan also includes seizing dozens of vessels and using them to establish a “maritime force for police operations”.
Sources close to Ben-Gvir were quoted as saying: “Following several weeks at Ktzi’ot and Damon, they’ll be sorry about the time they arrived here.
“We must eliminate their appetite for another attempt.”
This is the fourth and largest flotilla which has sailed for Gaza this year, and the second one spearheaded by Thunberg.
Wearing a “we are all Palestine Action” – the activist network proscribed as a terrorist group by the UK – she was waved off by thousands of cheering supporters in Barcelona.
Thunberg told the crowds: “This is a mission to challenge the extremely violent, business-as-usual international system that is failing to uphold international law.”
ReutersThe first boat in June was boarded by Israeli authorities who offered the passengers sandwiches[/caption]
GettyJune’s Freedom Flotilla sailed from Italy to Gaza[/caption]
She said on Saturday that the activists’ goal is to send “hope and solidarity to the people of Gaza, showing a clear signal that the world has not forgotten about you”.
In June, on the “Freedom Flotilla”, she sailed with 11 comrades from Italy to the international waters around Gaza, where the group was detained by Israeli authorities.
They boarded the boat, passed around sandwiches and transported the activists to Israel.
From there, Greta and three others were deported out of the country.
ReutersGreta’s frog bucket hat is again coming along for the ride[/caption]
APGreat boarding the boat in Barcelona[/caption]
She claimed that Israel’s response to the boat’s arrival was a “PR stunt” and accused them of “kidnapping us in international waters and taking us against our will”.
The Swede was slammed as antisemitic by Israel after her outing in June – accusations she has railed against.
Greta told Sky this weekend: “It is not antisemitic to say that we should not be bombing people, that one should not be living in occupation, that everyone should have the right to live in freedom and dignity, no matter who you are.”
Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza after Hamas took control of the coastal enclave in 2007 and has blocked numerous attempts to reach Gaza since.
Israel argues the blockade is needed to prevent weapons being smuggled to Hamas.
This weekend, the IDF said: “The IDF enforces the security naval blockade on the Gaza Strip and is prepared for a wide range of scenarios, which it will act upon in accordance with the directives of the political echelon.”
The UN earlier this month declared a famine in Gaza and blamed it on the “systematic obstruction” by Israel of aid deliveries.