Wong believes Gaza flotilla activists’ ‘horrific’ abuse allegations

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says she believes Australian activists who claim they were sexually assaulted by Israeli military personnel last month.

Eleven Australians were among the 430 volunteers on 50 boats intercepted in international waters last week by Israeli forces aiming to stop the flotilla delivering aid supplies to the Gaza Strip.

During an exchange with Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi at a Senate estimates hearing today, Wong described herself as a feminist and pushed back on criticism she had not done enough to defend the activists.

“I think if you look at my career, my view is that you should believe, and I believe women who come forward with these assertions,” Wong said.

“Those allegations are terrible, they are horrific, and that treatment is unacceptable.”

Global Sumud Flotilla, the organisers of the aid shipment, said it had documented at least 15 cases of sexual abuse – allegations Israel has denied.

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On her return home to Australia last month, Juliet Lamont, an activist and documentary filmmaker, alleged to Reuters she was dragged, sexually assaulted and beaten when she was detained.

“That was just the beginning of four days of absolute hell. I’ve looked into the eyes of the most soulless people in the universe, and nothing came back. These people need to be stopped,” Lamont said.

She was among three flotilla members at parliament today to watch the Senate exchange.

Another Australian activist, Sam Woripa Watson, said he sustained a fractured rib along with bruises and cuts across his body.

Watson also said he had witnessed activists being Tasered and shot with rubber bullets, with stun grenades thrown at them.

Israel denied the activists were abused and its ambassador to Australia claimed they consistently made false allegations.

The allegations of mistreatment increased international pressure on Israel, following a video posted by far-right Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in which he taunted activists restrained on the ground, sparking widespread condemnation.

Wong described the footage at the time as “shocking and unacceptable”.

Wong today said she was open to meeting the flotilla activists who had returned to Australia if they approached her office directly.

– Reported with Reuters