Spain wants Israel to release a member of the Gaza flotilla Story

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel Albares, expressed his concern about the “illegal detention” of Saif Abukeshek and said that he was “kidnapped”.

Madrid has asked for the release of a Spanish citizen who was arrested during the flotilla to Gaza and to go to Israel “for questioning”.

Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told Catalan radio station RAC1 on Saturday that he was concerned about the “unlawful detention” of Saif Abukeshek, and called for his “immediate release”.

Recommended Articles

list of things 3end of series

Abukeshek, a Spanish-Swedish citizen of Palestinian origin, was one of the activists arrested during the Israeli military raid. Global Sumud Flotilla near the coast of Crete earlier this week.

He was one of two men, along with Brazilian Thiago Avila, then taken to Israel on Friday “for questioning”. Israel says the two have ties to Hamas.

Albares said the arrests took place “outside of Israel’s jurisdiction”, adding, “Of course, it’s a robbery.”

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Abukeshek is a senior member of the Palestinian National Conference Abroad, which the United States he says it operates under the control of Hamas.

However, the Spanish ambassador insisted that “Israel has not put on the table any evidence about Abukeshek’s relationship with Hamas”.

The Israeli navy destroyed 22 flotilla boats trying to provide aid to Gaza while they were in international waters, hundreds of kilometers from the border. Drones and communication technology were used. They captured 175 people who were in the boat and took them to Greece, except for Abukesheki and Avila.

Albares said the Spanish ambassador to Greece “had to go to the hospital because several freedom fighters needed medical help”.

The Spanish embassy in Tel Aviv was allowed to see Abukeshek on Saturday, the minister said.

‘Hard Evidence’

The Global Sumud Flotilla he said in which, according to those released, Abukeshek was tortured in an Israeli warship.

The Adalah legal organization visited the pair in Shikma prison in Israel on Saturday and said, “The disturbing testimony given by the activists shows the brutality and long-term detention by the Israeli soldiers during the last two days at sea.”

Abukeshek “reported that he was handcuffed and blindfolded, and forced to lie face down on the floor from the time of his arrest until this morning, which resulted in injuries to his face and hands”, it said.

“Avila said that he was subjected to severe torture by Israeli soldiers during the seizure,” it added, including “being dragged face down on the ground and severely beaten to death twice”.

Both Thiago and Saif have declared hunger, although they continue to drink water. They are expected to appear in court on Sunday for a hearing to extend their detention.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez conveyed a message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a speech on Friday, saying that Spain will protect its citizens and uphold international law.

“We want the release of the Spanish citizen who was illegally detained by the government of (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu,” he said.

Israel’s actions have sparked protests and criticism from rights groups and the government. The Turkish Foreign Ministry called it a “deception”.