Matthew Wilson
It’s safe to say that Greta Thunberg isn’t having a good time. Reports have surfaced that the climate activist is being held in a bug-infested cell in Israel. Thunberg was one of several arrested for attempting to provide aid to Gaza and the Palestinians.
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What happened: If you’re unaware of the situation, here are four major details you should know about Thunberg’s arrest and current situation.
1. Greta Thunberg Detained In Cell With Bedbugs.
According to the Guardian, sources close to Thunberg sent an email to the Swedish foreign ministry. They say Thunberg has had little water and food and is in a bedbug-ridden cell.
- “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.”
2. Political Prisoner
The email goes on to say that Israeli forces have forced Thunberg to pose next to several flags in a political statement.
- “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.
- Another detainee, who was released, shared their own viewpoint. “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.”
- Meanwhile, Lorenzo D’Agostino, a journalist who was also detained, said they wrapped Thunberg “in the Israeli flag and paraded like a trophy”
3. Greta Thunberg Was One Of 437 People Arrested
Greta Thunberg was one of 437 people who participated in the Global Sumud flotilla. It was an effort to carry humanitarian aid to Gaza. More than 40 boats tried to breach Israel’s 16-year blockade on Gaza.
However, Israeli forces stopped and arrested all of those on board. They have kept most of them at Ketziot, a prison in the Negev desert.
4. Israel Denies Claims
Statement released: The Israeli Embassy has denied claims of abuse against the activists. They released a statement.
- “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,” it said.
