Swiss, Dutch Governments Bill Showboating Gaza Flotilla Participants for Their Rescue, Return Home

Activists in at least two European countries who took part in publicity-seeking flotillas attempting to break a Gaza blockade are complaining about bills from their own governments related to repatriating them after being detained by Israel.The so-called “selfie” flotillas — carrying Swedish climate crusader Greta Thunberg and other anti-Israel activists — were intercepted by the Israeli military and the participants detained after refusing to turn around.Israeli naval forces seized around 50 boats involved in the Global Sumud Flotilla and detained more than 450 activists from more than 50 countries. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it offered voluntary deportation to the activists Many countries worked to help bring their citizens home. Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs is charging 19 Swiss nationals who were involved between 350 and 1150 euros for administrative and emergency costs. The bills vary by what Swiss officials say they needed to provide in consular work on their behalf, including working with Israeli authorities, prison visits, and help getting them back to Switzerland.One of the participants, Sébastien Dubugnon, claims he is being wrongly billed because he was expelled to Turkey and Turkish officials paid for his ticket home.Mr. Dubugnon told Swiss public radio RTS, that he only had one ten-minute prison visit with a Swiss official. “We saw a consular representative who was literally fired after a very short time, without even seeing half of us,” Mr. Dubugnon said. “And he told us he couldn’t help us either.”Swiss members of the flotilla say they are appealing the bills.Dutch activists are also facing bills for their flights home. At least some are refusing to pay their government back claiming they should not have been charged for “risking their lives.”“A genocide is taking place,” a spokeswoman told Luxembourg’s RTL News. “People are risking their lives to go there. They ended up in jail, and then the Dutch government sends them a bill,” the unnamed spokeswoman continued.Activist Roos Ykema is among those refusing to pay a 526 euro bill for her flight home. She told the NOS public broadcaster she was “kidnapped” and “forcibly deported” from Israel.Other countries have not billed activists who were detained but one British activist complained that the United Kingdom refused to pay for her flight back in the first place. The government reportedly said it could not offer diplomatic protection to its citizens onboard the flotilla.Israel has maintained a naval blockade on the Gaza Strip since Hamas took control in 2007, aiming to prevent the terror group from importing weapons via the sea.

Swiss, Dutch Governments Bill Showboating Gaza Flotilla Participants for Their Rescue, Return Home

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