ALBAWABA - The Australian Federal Police (AFP) launches an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse and mistreatment made by the Global Sumud flotilla activists against Israel.
The investigation, which has angered Israel's ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, who stated that: Israel "respect(s)" the AFP, but the investigation is a "mistake," to ABC Radio on Wednesday.
The flotilla had 11 Australian citizens on it, four of them met Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Monday; saying afterward that they: "received an assurance the AFP would investigate their claims."
Wong “definitely believes we were kidnapped, that we were tortured and that we were imprisoned and that some of us were raped. So, that has been established that she believes that,” said one of the activists after meeting the foreign minister.
“The AFP have committed to taking on an independent investigation.”
The Australian Centre for International Justice commented on the matter, describing the allegations as "extremely serious."
"In the context of an armed conflict, and where the conduct is connected to the enforcement of an unlawful blockade and the obstruction of humanitarian aid, the alleged conduct may amount to war crimes," it said in a statement.
Adding that the conduct of Israeli forces "must be investigated as potential crimes against humanity, and where relevant, as conduct connected to genocide, including the deliberate infliction of conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinian life in Gaza."
Demonstrators stand on a sailboat of the Global Sumud Flotilla with Palestinian flags and a banner reading "violence against one, violence against all, solidarity with Palestine" (FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)
Alongside the AFP investigation, Global Sumud Flotilla legal representatives, victims and medical personnel submitted accounts of the Israeli conduct to the International Criminal Court (ICC) which already has outstanding warrants of arrest for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu among other Israeli officials.
The account included actions of torture, sexual violence, and abduction committed by the Israelis, the account further accused Israeli military commanders and top political leaders of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture and conduct relevant to the execution of the crime of genocide.
