It is disconcerting to see both the domestic and international imperial forces of this country exploding at the same time. With the deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles at the same time the Freedom Flotilla vessel Madleen was boarded by the Israeli Defence Forces in international waters.

Infographic

I created following Infographic to illustrate US domestic and international imperialism.

The Israeli interception of the Madleen provoked a swift and largely critical international response, with governments, international organizations, and human rights groups condemning the action and calling for the release of the detained activists. The incident triggered diplomatic maneuvers and highlighted deep divisions over Israeli policies towards Gaza.

Condemnation and Calls for Release

A significant number of international actors voiced strong disapproval of Israel’s operation against the Madleen.

• Palestine (Hamas): The ruling group in Gaza, Hamas, denounced the interception as a “flagrant violation of international law.” It called for the immediate release of the activists and stated that it held Israel “fully accountable for their safety”.
• Turkiye: The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a forceful condemnation, labeling the interception a “clear violation of international law” and asserting that the incident “once again demonstrates that Israel is acting as a terror state”.
• Iran: A spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs characterized the Israeli assault on the flotilla in international waters as “a form of piracy under international law”.
• Spain: In a notable diplomatic rebuke, Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Israeli charge d’affaires in Madrid to account for the interception.
• France: With six of its nationals, including MEP Rima Hassan, on board, the French government became actively involved. President Emmanuel Macron’s office stated that he had requested Israel to allow the French citizens to return to France “as soon as possible”.¹ French lawmakers from the Leftist France Unbowed (LFI) party also decried the interception as a “clear violation of international law”.
• United Nations: Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, demanded the Madleen‘s immediate release. She asserted that “Breaking the siege is a legal duty for states and a moral imperative for all of us”.
• Amnesty International: Secretary-General Agnès Callamard stated unequivocally that Israel’s interception of the Madleen “violates international law” and reiterated Israel’s obligation as an occupying power to ensure sufficient aid reaches civilians in Gaza.⁵ The organization described the flotilla’s mission as an “indictment of the international community’s failure to put an end to Israel’s inhumane blockade” and accused Israel of showing “chilling contempt” for international law.
• The Left (European Parliament Faction): The political group to which MEP Rima Hassan belongs condemned the seizure as a “blatant violation of international law.” It further alleged that the arrests and aid confiscation were “part of a wider strategy to starve and massacre Palestinians in Gaza while hiding Israeli war crimes from the world”.
• Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR): The US-based advocacy group strongly condemned what it termed the “cowardly and illegal Israeli attack on the Madleen” and praised the activists for their bravery.
• Jewish Council of Australia: This organization expressed “grave concerns for the activists on board” and called on the Australian government to “urgently intervene to secure the immediate release of the vessel and safety of the crew”.

While numerous individual states and organizations voiced outrage, there was no immediate indication of concrete punitive actions by major global powers or international bodies like the UN Security Council.