Italian prosecutors have put Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir under investigation over the treatment of Gaza flotilla activists seen in video he published last month, a judicial source said Monday.

The video, which showed him taunting and humiliating dozens of bound and kneeling activists that Israel had detained after intercepting the flotilla at sea, sparked immediate international outcry, as well as condemnations from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.

According to Italy’s ANSA news agency, prosecutors are investigating allegations including torture and kidnapping of the activists, which included several Italian nationals.

The investigation has been underway for “several weeks,” ANSA reported.

Reacting to the reported investigation against him, Ben Gvir was dismissive, saying: “Israel isn’t a punching bag for a gang of lying terror supporters who invent libels and lies against our fighters.”

“I am undeterred by this sort of investigation and will continue to stand proudly with our fighters,” he said.

Italy was initially one of Israel’s staunchest allies in Europe after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government took over in 2022, but it has steadily shifted away from Israel in recent years, taking a harder line against Israel’s actions in Gaza, the West Bank and........

© The Times of Israel