Malaysia ready to take Israel to ICJ over abduction, torture of Gaza flotilla activists: Official

The Malaysian government is prepared to take Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the abduction and torture of activists from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud humanitarian aid flotilla.

Amirudin bin Shari, chief minister of the Malaysian state of Selangor, said on Monday that Kuala Lumpur will initiate proceedings as soon as lawyers complete the collection of information and supporting evidence.

Over 400 international activists aboard the flotilla, which aimed to break Israel's naval blockade on Gaza to deliver aid, were attacked and abducted by Israeli forces last week in international waters.

“We will not remain silent; we will not stop. While the legal team gathers all documentation on violations of international law, they (flotilla participants) were kidnapped more than once, they were tortured,” Amirudin said while speaking at the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 homecoming ceremony at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

“We will bring this to the international court, we will continue diplomatic pressure, and we will also travel across Malaysia,” he said.

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Israel simply benefits from the fact that no heads of state in Europe is opposing what it is doing. They are all subordinated to a system of power that is badly affecting the economies of all countries involved.

Bin Shari said the legal action follows acts of brutality, including abduction, torture, and sexual violence perpetrated by Israeli forces on the flotilla activists, particularly Malaysian participants.

He added that the move will be followed by continued diplomatic pressure by the government to demand the "full liberation" of Gaza.

Although the GSF 2.0 mission has concluded, Malaysia and Selangor’s commitment to the Palestinian cause will continue, Bin Shari emphasized.

There are plans to bring international conferences related to Palestine to Malaysia in the future to strengthen advocacy efforts, he explained.

He stated that the Global Sumud 3.0 will continue the struggle against the Israeli regime until the blockade on Gaza is lifted.

Last Monday, the Israeli forces attacked the flotilla in international waters off the Cypriot coast.

The Global Sumud Flotilla has confirmed that activists abducted from Gaza-bound vessels were subjected to sexual violence, physical assaults, and degrading treatment.

In a statement, the flotilla said Israeli forces attacked the first of its boats "in broad daylight" in international waters while military vessels intercepted the fleet.

The flotilla demanded "safe passage" for its humanitarian mission to the blockaded Palestinian territory, denouncing the Israeli regime for carrying out "illegal acts of piracy."

This is not the first time the flotilla's mission to transfer direly-needed aid to the Gaza Strip has been hampered by the regime, as the coastal sliver continues to suffer from the catastrophic aftermath of a war of genocide by Tel Aviv that began in October 2023.

The genocide has also been characterized by the weaponization of foodstuffs and other vital commodities as a result of the regime's further tightening of its 2007-present siege of Gaza.

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