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Original article: CIP denuncia que Embajada de Israel en Chile usa desinformación para encubrir el secuestro de civiles de la Flotilla Sumud
CIP Accuses Israeli Embassy in Chile of Spreading Disinformation to Conceal Kidnapping of Global Sumud Flotilla Civilians
The Palestinian Information Center (CIP) has accused the Embassy of Israel in Chile of using disinformation as a tool to conceal the kidnapping of civilians from the Global Sumud Flotilla.
In a statement, the organization asserted that the claims made by the diplomatic entity and the Chilean Jewish community not only contain false accusations but also aim to stigmatize the participants of a humanitarian mission that is unarmed.
«The Palestinian Information Center condemns the statements issued by the Embassy of Israel in Chile and the Chilean Jewish Community, which spread false accusations against the Global Sumud Flotilla and its participants. This is a misleading narrative that stigmatizes and contributes to justifying actions against civilians who sail unarmed on a humanitarian mission,» the CIP statement reads.
It is important to note that Israel intercepted 22 vessels from the flotilla in international waters, less than 80 nautical miles west of the Greek island of Crete while they were en route to Gaza on a humanitarian mission to address genocide and provide urgent humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population. During this aggression, 175 civilians, including Chilean journalist Macarena Chahuán, were kidnapped and taken to the Israeli ship Nahshon, where they reportedly suffered physical and verbal abuse.
The CIP pointed out that the claims by the Israeli diplomatic mission in Chile regarding alleged covert operations by the flotilla are a deliberate attempt to criminalize its members and divert attention from the facts that occurred in international waters.
«The assertions about supposed covert operations aim to install the criminalization of the flotilla. This narrative is based on what has already occurred in international waters, with boats being intercepted and their members kidnapped. The flotilla corresponds to a civil and unarmed mission aimed at highlighting the prolonged blockade of Gaza,» the statement adds.
From a legal perspective, the CIP emphasizes that intercepting vessels on the high seas, forcibly transferring their crew members, and their subsequent kidnapping constitute violations of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees freedom of navigation on the high seas, as well as norms of international humanitarian law that protect civilians.
«These actions also contravene the prohibition of collective punishment established in the Fourth Geneva Convention,» details the text shared by the organization on its social media.
The statement also refers to specific complaints about the detention conditions that activists captured during the interception of the flotilla’s vessels suffered and mentions the cases of Thiago Ávila and Saif Abukeshek, who allegedly endured torture and abuse during their captivity.
«There are serious allegations confirmed by authorities and testimonies. Activists like Thiago Ávila and Saif Abukeshek have reported torture, medical negligence, and degrading abuse during their capture. These practices have been documented for decades by international human rights organizations regarding the Palestinian population,» the document states.
Over the weekend, an Israeli court ordered that Ávila and Abukeshek remain detained until May 5, despite the absence of formal charges against them.
«The recurrence of these events, accompanied by declarations that seek to justify them, solidifies a framework of impunity sustained by disinformation and the normalization of violence against civilians. The discrediting of the flotilla shifts attention away from ongoing violations and contributes to their continuation,» the statement concluded.
Finally, the Palestinian Information Center issued a call to Chilean authorities and the international community to demand strict adherence to international law.
«The protection of civilians does not admit self-serving interpretations or narratives that conceal abuses,» the pronouncement concludes.
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