24/05/2026
Contrary to what Israeli Prime Minister said, the brutal, unlawful and predictable actions of the Israeli Defence Force are PRECISELY what Israel has been doing to Palestinians FOR DECADES (if not worse). A question for the Royal Commission which it refuses to answer, or take evidence on, what role has the Jewish state played in the so-called eruption of anti-semitism in Australia. The RC won't take evidence from pro-Palestinian groups. I've been following the role of the prominent Jewish groups in Australia for decades. They supports Israel, and that's it. I guess you see the repercussions of that. From the Herald today:
A Melbourne woman has touched down in Australia, alleging she and fellow detainees were mistreated by Israeli authorities after their Gaza-bound flotilla was intercepted.
Gemma O’Toole was the first of 11 Australians released by Israel to arrive home on Sunday night. She was greeted by her parents and more than 100 supporters at Melbourne Airport.
Gemma O’Toole (centre) hugs her parents, Dr Suzie O’Toole and Dr Patrick Keyzer, after arriving home to Melbourne on Sunday night.Wayne Taylor
Amid long hugs, tears, and chants of support, O’Toole – flanked by her parents, Dr Patrick Keyzer and Dr Suzie O’Toole – personally thanked all the people who came to welcome her home, vowing that this would not be the end of the matter.
O’Toole alleged that she and about 480 activists were physically, mentally and, in some cases, sexually abused after they were intercepted by the IDF on May 18 while sailing with the Global Sumud Flotilla towards Gaza intending to deliver aid.
The treatment of the detained activists was thrown into the international spotlight last Thursday when Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir published a video of him taunting groups of detainees who were zip-tied and forced to kneel on the ground.
The videos received widespread international condemnation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the actions were “not in line with Israel’s values and norms”, but the flotilla’s mission amounted to unnecessary provocation.
Australian activist Gemma O’Toole is welcomed by supporters.Wayne Taylor
On Sunday, O’Toole and her family demanded an audience with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and called for more action against Israel following her experiences in Israeli custody.
“It was definitely the weirdest week of my life and definitely the worst week of my life,” O’Toole said.
“I haven’t seen much of the media reporting as I haven’t had a phone for a long time but I gather there is a lot of attention on the Ben-Gvir video which is so insane to me.
“What you saw in that video is an infinitesimal amount of what we actually went through.
“Then to think that is what they do to predominantly white people when they are being, relatively, held to account.”
Israel defence minister Ben-Gvir posted a video to X showing him taunting bound and detained activists.
In a video posted to Free Gaza Australia’s Instagram account, O’Toole said she was strip-searched multiple times and repeatedly “pushed in the chest” by male guards.
“Me personally, I was strip-searched, repeatedly pushed in the chest with a man grabbing my b***s, asking me if I was a girl or a boy,” O’Toole said in the video.
She added that they were unable to sleep as guards would wake them every 30 minutes to be moved rooms and recounted.
Israel’s Australian ambassador Hillel Newman told ABC’s 7.30 program last week no one was hurt during the interception of the activists.
“No one was hurt, the interception was done very smoothly,”
Newman said. He “refuted completely” any allegations of sexual humiliation, said claims of “violence is not true” and that “many accusations thrown out there are not true”.
But when told of that comment, O’Toole said there were about 80 activists in hospital in Turkey, and she had visited five of them before she flew home. The group included people with broken vertebrae, broken legs and a fractured sternum and collapsed lung.
“Everyone is so deeply traumatised,” O’Toole said.
“We condemn his actions and the degrading actions of Israeli authorities towards those detained,” Wong said in a statement on Thursday, calling the video “shocking and unacceptable”.
“Australia’s ambassador to Israel has made representations to Israel, reiterating our call for the release of the detained Australians and for Israel to ensure no ill-treatment of any detainees and to act in line with international obligations. I also directed DFAT to call in Israel’s ambassador to Australia to reinforce this message.”
Gemma O’Toole speaks to the media at the airport.Wayne Taylor
The Australian activists onboard the flotilla were Juliet and Isla Lamont, Zack Schofield, Surya McEwen, Dr Bianca Webb-Pullman, Anny Mokotow, Neve Barwick O’Connor, Sam Woripa Watson, Violet Coco, Helen O’Sullivan and O’Toole.
O’Toole’s parents called for serious action from the Australian government against Israel, and they want an audience with the prime minister to make their case.
“If that is what they are prepared to do to Australians, on camera, imagine what they are doing to Palestinians who are locked up for years and years and years,” Keyzer said.
“I’m really angry. We want an audience with the prime minister. This doesn’t stop here.”
‘It was chaos’: Australians released from Israeli prison, allege mistreatment
Suzie O’Toole said she was incredibly proud of her daughter and enraged at the treatment of the activists.
“I’m enraged, exhausted but absolutely furious that my daughter and all those other brave activists were kidnapped by Israel, held hostage, bashed and sleep-deprived all because they got on boats to take aid to starving people,” she said.
“They sailed on those boats because governments around the world, including Australia, haven’t pushed back against Israel in their relentless killing and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.
“She is clearly traumatised, we really need to get her home and start putting the pieces back together.”
With Bronte Gossling and Nick Newling"
