Greta Thunberg accuses Israel of kidnap after Gaza aid boat intercepted

Deported climate activist Greta Thunberg dismissed Donald Trump’s criticism and told French reporters she was “kidnapped on international waters” by Israel.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg arrived in France on her way home to Sweden, after being deported by Israel for attempting to break the country’s 18-year naval blockade of Gaza.

The 22-year-old told reporters in France that Israel had violated international waters by intercepting the Gaza-bound, UK-flagged boat Madleen that she and 11 other activists had sailed from Sicily to the Egyptian coast carrying a symbolic amount of aid.

Speaking to reporters who surrounded her at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport, Thunberg reiterated that she had been kidnapped.

Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg talks to journalists upon her arrival to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport, as she left Israel on a flight to Sweden via France, after she was detained along with other activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid boat. Picture: AFP

“I was very clear in my testimony that we were kidnapped on international waters and brought against our own will into Israel,” she said.

She also shrugged off criticism from US President Donald Trump, who had described her as an angry person, saying: “I think the world needs a lot more young angry women to be honest, especially with everything going on right now.”

At least five of the 12 activists arrested on board the Madleen flotilla are expected to be deported on Tuesday, according to Israeli media.

The group were intercepted off the coast of Egypt earlier on Monday morning and taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod, where they were detained.

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Originally published as Greta Thunberg accuses Israel of kidnap after Gaza aid boat intercepted