Defense Minister orders IDF to stop ‘antisemitic Greta Thunberg’ from reaching Gaza

Vessel intends to run the Israeli blockade to reach Gaza, with high-profile activists, including Greta Thunberg, planning to live-stream confrontations with the IDF.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday ordered the IDF to prevent a vessel carrying a dozen anti-Israel activists from running the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip and reaching the war-torn coastal enclave.

The vessel, the Madleen, set sail for Gaza last Sunday night from Catania in Sicily, carrying several high-profile far-left anti-Israel activists, including 22-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, French European Union MP Rima Hassan, and Irish actor Liam Cunningham.

As of 3:00 p.m. Israel Time on Sunday, the Madleen was roughly 160 miles (260 kilometers) away from the Gaza Strip, sailing in international waters off the coast of Egypt.

The Madleen is expected to reach the Israeli naval perimeter around the Gaza Strip within the next 24 hours.

On Sunday afternoon, Katz (Likud) announced that he had ordered the IDF to prevent the Madleen from reaching the Gaza shore.

“I have instructed the IDF to act to prevent the hate flotilla ‘Madleen‘ from reaching the shores of Gaza – and to take whatever measures are necessary to that end,” Katz tweeted.

Noting Thunberg’s presence on the vessel, Katz lambasted the vocal anti-Israel activist, calling her “antisemitic.”

“To the antisemitic Greta and her Hamas propaganda-spewing friends, I say clearly: you would do well to turn back – because you will not reach Gaza.”

“Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or assist terrorist organizations – by sea, by air, and on land.”

The organizers of the voyage have announced they plan to livestream any confrontations with the IDF as the Madleen attempts to run the Israeli blockade.