A group of 124 activists freed by Israel after Monday’s raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla arrived in Jordan at the King Hussein border crossing on Wednesday.
Many of them told reporters that they were “savagely treated” by Israeli authorities.
“I was beaten while I was handcuffed and they prevented me from going to the water closet for 24 hours,” Kuwaiti lawmaker Walid Tabtabai said. “The attack on the flotilla has revealed the ugly face of Israel.” The group included citizens of Jordan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Indonesia, Pakistan and Azerbaijan.
Former Jerusalem Archbishop Hilarion Capucci said the objective of the flotilla had been accomplished despite the Israeli naval attack.
“We have exposed Israel to the world through its unethical behaviour, because we were on a humanitarian mission to assist the oppressed people in Gaza. It was a mission for the Almighty God and he was with us,” he said.
Mr. Capucci was arrested by Israel in 1974 and imprisoned for four years on charges of smuggling arms to Palestinian fighters.
