When will they return to their respective countries? The 12 Propalestinian activists of the Madleen sailboat, arranged by Israel in the night of Sunday to Monday while trying to reach the Gaza Strip, were transferred to Tel Aviv Airport for their repatriation, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday. But not everyone agreed to sign the document aimed at expelling them without delay a court decision.
Where were activists on Tuesday morning?
The sailboat “Madleen” with on board French, German, Brazilian, Turkish, Swedish, Spanish and Dutch activists, had left Italy on June 1 to “break the Israeli Blocus” in Gaza, prey to a disastrous humanitarian situation after more than 20 months of a war triggered by the bloody attack of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on October 7. He was trying to reach the Palestinian enclave with humanitarian aid.
It was chartered by the coalition of the flotilla for freedom, a non -violent international movement of support for the Palestinians launched in 2010, combining humanitarian aid and political protest against the blockade of the Palestinian territory. The Swedish Greta Thunberg and the MEP LFI Rima Hassan, as well as two journalists, were on board.
The Israeli navy arose the boat on Monday morning at around 185 km west of the Gaza coast. Escorted by two ships, the sailboat arrived on Monday evening in the port of Ashdod, in southern Israel.
Since then, activists have been under the care of the Israeli authorities, has confirmed the coalition of the flotilla for freedom. At first, the organization believed that they “could be allowed to leave since Tel Aviv” from the night of Monday to Tuesday. Passengers were taken Tuesday at Ben Gurion airport for their repatriation, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the deputy LFI Clémence watch, interviewed on France Info, they were able to speak with lawyers and they were proposed to sign an expulsion stop, aimed at sending them home without passing before a judge. “We continue to demand the immediate release of all volunteers,” wrote the organization on X, saying that “their detention is illegal and constitutes a violation of international law”.
According to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, “consular protection could be exercised” during the night of Monday to Tuesday with the six French people who were on board the sailboat. Their relatives were informed of their condition.
What happens to those who accepted their expulsion?
Two in six French activists who were on board the boat accepted their expulsion, the French chief of diplomacy Jean-Noël Barrot said on Tuesday. “To date, two of them have agreed to sign the papers expelling them from Israeli territory and allowing them to return to our country. Four refused it, “he told the press. Earlier, he had mentioned only one Frenchman who agreed to sign the expulsion judgment.
The two nationals who have signed a document authorizing their expulsion are a journalist for the Qatari channel Al Jazeera, Omar Faiad, and a doctor, Baptiste André, said a French diplomatic source.
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg also accepted her expulsion from Israel. She left the country aboard an aircraft that took off for Sweden via France, the ministry on X announced on Tuesday morning, where he published a photo of the Swedish activist seated on a passenger seat.
Upon her arrival in the French capital, in the afternoon this Tuesday, the environmental activist assured that she and the other passengers of the sailboat had been “kidnapped in international waters” by the Israeli authorities.
What will happen for those who refused?
In total, six of the 12 activists did not agree to sign their expulsion stop. Among the four French nationals who are in this case is the deputy LFI Rima Hassan, said Jean-Noël Barrot. Earlier, in a written declaration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had indicated that they will have to pass an Israeli judge “in the coming days”.
According to French diplomacy, they were transferred, during the night, to the Ramlé detention center, not far from Tel Aviv airport. The French consulate will remain in contact with them until their return to France, assured Jean-Noël Barrot.
According to Israeli diplomacy, “those who refuse to sign expulsion documents and leave Israel will be translated to a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorize their expulsion,” she said on X, adding that activists had met the consuls of their respective countries at the airport.
The passengers of the “Selfie Yacht” arrived at Ben Gurion Airport to depart from Israel and return to their home countries.
Some of the “Selfie Yacht” passengers are expected to leave within the next few hours.
Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will… pic.twitter.com/szEHmd0rS0— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 10, 2025
What is the reaction of France?
France has “passed all messages” to Israel so that “the protection” of its nationals, six in number, “is assured” and that they “can find French soil”, said President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, denouncing as a “scandal” the humanitarian blockade in Gaza.
For its part, rebellious France, Rima Hassan’s party, does not hide its anger. “They don’t have to be in detention!” », Bounded to repeat Manuel Bompard, movement coordinator, on South Radio this Tuesday morning. He called for “a big day of mobilization” on Saturday, when a first rally took place place of the Republic on Monday evening.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reacted by denouncing “the maneuvers of disinformation” of “a certain number of political leaders”. This statement follows the implementation of French diplomacy by several managers of the rebellious, including Jean-Luc Mélenchon who in particular castigated the “nullity of the French services” by affirming that the families of the nationals retained in Israel had had “no news” in the first hours after their arrest.
“The agents of our embassy on the spot (…) exercise their mission with great professionalism, dedication and courage in extremely difficult conditions,” replied Jean-Noël Barrot.