Brazil and Spain condemned, in a joint statement this Friday, the 1st, what they called the “kidnapping”, by Israel, of two citizens in international waters. The text makes reference to Brazilian Thiago Ávila and Spanish-Palestinian Saif Abukeshek, who were captured and taken for interrogation in Israeli territory.
“The governments of Brazil and Spain condemn, in the strongest terms, the abduction of two of their citizens in international waters by the government of Israel,” the statement states.
The activists were aboard the Global Sumud flotilla and were approached by Israeli forces near the coast of Greece. The two were part of a group of 175 people, in 22 boats, who were trying to break Israel’s naval blockade and bring humanitarian aid to Palestinian territory.
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Most of the passengers were released, but Ávila and Abukeshek remained with authorities. “This blatantly illegal action by the Israeli authorities, outside their jurisdiction, is an affront to International Law, actionable in international courts, and constitutes a crime in our respective jurisdictions”, highlights the note signed by Brazil and Spain.
The two countries state that they “demand” the immediate return of their citizens, safely, and that Israel facilitate immediate consular access for assistance and protection of the men. In a publication in X, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that Abukeshek is “suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization” and Ávila, “suspected of illegal activity”.
