Greta Samberg couldn’t help but laugh when she touched down in France, seemingly appearing handcuffed—though some felt that was a bit of a stretch.
This Swedish activist was expelled from Israel following a brief encounter with local authorities earlier this week. She, along with 11 others, attempted to sail to Gaza to protest against Israeli actions, but their boat was seized by Israeli forces who swiftly deported them.
Among the twelve activists who brought food and supplies for Gaza, four—Samberg included—agreed to leave right away, while the other eight faced a staggering one hundred-year ban from entering Israel.
The rest were detained after declining to leave voluntarily and appeared in a detention review court on Tuesday, as reported by the rights group Adara.
Our amazing Israeli pilot on Greta’s flights is making sure she understands what’s going up. Well, Greta, do you regret the failed sailing efforts? Enjoy Flight Dam Dam and stop pretending you’re handcuffed… No one will buy it for sandwich girls.
Samberg seemed to be holding her hands in a video shot in France, which many found odd.
Upon leaving Israel, she had been escorted through security at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Adara noted that the state had requested detention for the activists pending their deportation, highlighting that Israeli law allows for forced removals within a 72-hour period.
A boat operated by the Freedom Fleet was intercepted in international waters and taken to Ashdod Port by Israeli forces on Monday.
Subsequently, they were moved to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, after which Samberg flew to France before continuing to Sweden.
Meghan McCain, daughter of the late senator John McCain, shared a video of Samberg on the plane her trip back.
She quipped about Samberg being seated at the back of a non-reclining coach seat near the restroom. Interesting choice.
As she arrived at Charles de Gaulle, 22-year-old Samberg accused Israel of “inviting us in international waters and taking us to Israel against our will,” indicating her belief that this was yet another violation of rights stemming from Israeli policies.
There were four other French activists on board who were also facing Israeli judges. French Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barrot seemed concerned, previously noting on social media that five individuals were slated for court, with only one willing to leave voluntarily.
Barrot mentioned that French diplomats had been in touch with six of their citizens in Israel, along with European parliamentarian Lima Hassan, who had refused to leave.
Meanwhile, activists from several countries—France, Germany, Brazil, Turkey, Sweden, Spain, and the Netherlands—were united in their mission to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge Israel’s blockade of Palestinian areas.
This initiative was labeled a “symbolic act,” originally planned from the border between Tunisia and Libya, with Gaza as their ultimate destination.
