The latest video posted by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has once again exposed the cruelty, arrogance and impunity with which the Zionist state continues to operate. The footage showing detained flotilla activists – hands bound, kneeling with heads lowered – was a message to the world: that Israel believes itself beyond accountability, international law or moral restraint. The outrage that followed was unsurprising. Countries across Europe and beyond condemned the treatment of the activists, while Pakistan rightly denounced the unlawful interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters and demanded the immediate release of those detained, including Pakistani humanitarian activist Saad Edhi. Even Netanyahu’s office felt compelled to distance itself from Ben-Gvir’s conduct, claiming it was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms”. Yet this denial convinces few. The reality is that such behaviour reflects precisely the culture of dehumanisation that has defined Israel’s treatment of Palestinians for decades and has intensified during the genocide in Gaza.
The timing of Netanyahu’s carefully worded criticism is also significant. It came shortly after a deeply disturbing New York Times op-ed by Nicholas Kristof detailing allegations of rape and sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees in Israeli military custody. Kristof interviewed multiple victims whose testimonies were reportedly corroborated by witnesses. These revelations are horrifying but hardly shocking. Numerous human rights reports over the years have documented systematic abuse, torture and humiliation inflicted upon Palestinians, whether by Israeli forces or extremist settlers operating with near-total impunity. This is why attempts to portray Ben-Gvir’s actions as an aberration ring hollow. Figures like him are not isolated extremists existing outside the Israeli system; they are products of it. The violence, racism and brutality on display are the logical outcome of Israel’s settler logic. Gaza’s destruction, the relentless attacks on Lebanon despite ceasefire announcements and the abuse of detainees all stem from the same belief that Palestinian lives carry no value and that military domination absolves Israel of all legal and ethical obligations.
Equally alarming is the widening of the conflict across the region. After devastating Gaza, Israel pushed aggressively towards confrontation with Iran, dragging the US deeper into another dangerous Middle Eastern war. Though a temporary ceasefire has emerged following diplomatic efforts involving Pakistan, Qatar and other regional actors, it is increasingly evident that Netanyahu’s government has little interest in de-escalation. Reports of tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv over peace proposals indicate that Israeli leadership continues to favour perpetual conflict over diplomacy. This may also explain the recent attempts in segments of the American and Israeli media to target Pakistan for its mediation efforts. Islamabad’s role in encouraging dialogue and restraint directly challenges those who benefit politically from endless war and instability. Netanyahu’s remarks against Pakistan reveal the frustration of a leadership determined to suppress any initiative that could reduce regional tensions. Meanwhile, international condemnations have become routine yet largely meaningless in the absence of concrete action. Israel’s leadership has learnt that outrage fades quickly while impunity remains permanent. The world is witnessing the normalisation of atrocities in real time. History will not judge kindly those who remained silent, equivocated or continued to enable these crimes under the guise of strategic alliances. If international law is to retain any meaning, then the same standards applied elsewhere must apply to Israel as well.
