Extract from ABC News
Ethan Floyd, Neve O'Connor and Zack Schofield in a still from their video message. (Supplied)
Israel's ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, has stopped short of apologising to the Global Sumud Flotilla activists detained in Israel, who far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had taunted.
He also told 7.30 that activists on the flotilla had not been harmed, but Australian man Chris O'Connor, whose daughter Neve was on board, rejected that claim as untrue.
Mr Ben-Gvir, who is Israel's national security minister, has been condemned by world leaders for a video in which he is seen taunting some of the more than 400 activists the Israeli military brought to the country's Ashdod Port, after detaining them in international waters.
Mr Newman said the Israeli government joined them in condemning Mr Ben-Gvir’s actions.
"The actions of Ben-Gvir himself have been condemned from wall-to-wall," Mr Newman told 7.30.
"The leadership of Israel has condemned what he did. It's disgraceful.
"That's the approach of the government of Israel.
"The prime minister of Israel, the foreign minister of Israel, [they] have all condemned thoroughly the actions of Ben-Gvir."
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reacts as flotilla activists are detained by Israeli forces. (Supplied: Office Of Itamar Ben Gvir/Handout)
Federal government MP Julian Hill earlier called for Mr Ben-Gvir to be sacked while speaking to the ABC.
"To tolerate that man remaining a cabinet minister for one more day seems unconscionable," Mr Hill said.
"If Prime Minister Netanyahu were serious about those values and Israel's reputation, he'd sack him."
Asked on 7.30 if Mr Netanyahu should fire Mr Ben-Gvir, the ambassador said Israel was heading to the polls soon, and he wouldn’t share political advice.
"The law in Israel is such that when a transitional government begins, you cannot expel," Mr Newman said.
"You can't change the format of a government until we go to elections."
Denials of violence
Mr Newman also denied that anyone on the flotilla would have been hurt and told 7.30 that any past or current allegations of violence or sexual humiliation were untrue.
Israel's ambassador to Australia Hillel Newman says Israel's leadership condemns the actions of Itamar Ben-Gvir. (ABC News: Mark Moore)
"There's been no sexual humiliation," he said.
"I refute that completely.
"There's been no sexual attacks of any kind against the flotilla people.
"There are many accusations that are thrown out there, which are untrue. The government of Israel and the security forces of Israel have intercepted all these flotillas with great sensitivity.
"No one was hurt. The interception was done very smoothly."
That comment was rejected by Mr O'Connor, who alleged that beatings and rape had occurred.
"I absolutely reject that," he told 7.30.
"I will share with you what Neve has told me.
"The first time she was held hostage, she was beaten, and she was subject to psychological torture.
"She was hospitalised in Crete. And as she said to me, the beatings were not bad compared to what happened to men of colour.
"When she arrived in Türkiye, she was really weighing up whether she would do the final leg to Gaza.
"Part of the reason was that she spoke to two people who had [allegedly] been raped two weeks ago on the prison ship, one male, one female."
A screenshot from the video posted by Itamar Ben-Gvir. (X: itamarbengvir)
Mr O'Connor then said his daughter told him she felt she needed to rejoin the flotilla for moral reasons before he detailed more allegations as to where her alleged beating occurred.
"It was on the prison ship, and it was the IOF or the IDF," he said.
"She said she was kneed in the face [and was] punched in the ribs.
"The psychological torture she had was being in a stress position for many hours. They were sprayed with water and were subject to hypothermic conditions overnight.
"There were plenty of photos of people who had bruises."
Israeli vessels approaching the flotilla. (Supplied: Global Sumud Flotilla)
'Unnecessary provocation'
After defending Israel's actions but condemning Mr Ben-Gvir, the Israeli ambassador said the fact that the flotilla existed at all was problematic.
"The flotilla itself is a provocation which is unnecessary," he said.
"It's trying to break a legal blockade of Gaza, which is necessary for the security of the people of Israel."
Eleven Australians were among the hundreds detained from the flotilla.
A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said on Wednesday that the government wanted to "see all detained Australians released as soon as possible".
"The Australian government is engaging with Israeli authorities on the welfare of detained Australians involved in the flotilla and making preparations to visit them at the earliest opportunity," they said.
On 7.30, Mr Newman was asked if Israel had given Australia any guarantees that they would not be harmed.
He said that all the 400-plus people on the flotilla are now in the process of being deported.
"No one is in harm's way."
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