Family of Gaza Activist From Starmer’s Constituency Criticises Him for Not Helping Flotilla Detainees

The family of one of Keir Starmer’s constituents who was detained by Israel after participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla has criticised the Prime Minister for not doing enough to support his constituents and the other British citizens attempting to deliver aid to Gaza.

The Global Sumud Flotilla is the latest attempt to break the blockade of Gaza which has been ongoing since 2007 and has been declared illegal by various UN experts and human rights groups.

The Flotilla saw 51 civilian vessels set sail carrying humanitarian aid, which they hoped to deliver to the people of Gaza who are currently enduring a famine induced by the Israeli bombardment and blockade. The blockade, which has intensified since October 7th 2023, includes a ban on fishing in Palestinian waters and massively restricts the entrance of food, medicine and basic supplies into Gaza.

All 51 of the vessels were intercepted and their crew detained in Israel. Nine of the boats arrived after the first 42 and their crew remains in prison.

The 500-strong crew included journalists, politicians, activists such as Greta Thunberg and celebrities such as actress Susan Sarandon. 13 British citizens were aboard the flotilla, including Ewa Jasiewicz, a British-Polish activist who lives in Keir Starmer’s constituency of Holborn and St Pancras.

 Jasiewicz and the 13 other British citizens were detained by Israel before being deported to Istanbul. Ilona, Jasiewicz’s sister, has criticised Keir Starmer, saying he “did not do enough”.

She told Byline Times: “I was incredibly anxious and worried about the safety of Ewa and the other participants on the flotilla […] our local MP Keir Starmer didn’t seem to do anything, didn’t give any support to the flotilla participants, didn’t ask questions of Israel and didn’t check on the safety of people being held”.

She added: “I think he should have been working to get the British delegation out and at least saying that the families were being supported and that they were trying to get in touch with the people from the delegation. I think it was very much overshadowed by the Manchester synagogue attack. That’s very important, but obviously two things can be important at once. The fact that his constituents and people from the country he is prime minister of were being held in Israeli prison, you think he would have something to say about it”.

Speaking to the Independent last week Ewa Jasiewicz said: “I don’t understand why Starmer, and others who claim to represent values of decency and humanity, have a complete disregard for it when it comes to Palestinians. We’ve got a very serious problem in terms of a moral compass when it comes to public obligations towards prevention of genocide.”

When asked about the arrest and detention of British activists in international waters a spokesperson for Keir Starmer said that “it is a matter for the Israeli government”.

Ilona Jasiewicz said her sister Ewa joined the flotilla because “the Israeli blockade is illegal and that these boats are trying to break the blockade and take aid to Palestine. It was an international mission with people from all over the world to publicise the situation the Palestinian people are in, how desperate things are, and to give hope to them”.

She added that Ewa is considering joining a future flotilla in another attempt to deliver aid to Gaza’s starving population and that as a family member of a flotilla activist, she would like to see close monitoring of the flotillas by the Foreign Office and public pressure placed on Israel to ensure their safe passage.

At the most recent estimate at least 459 people including 154 children have died from starvation in Gaza.

When asked if they consider Jasiewicz’s allegations of inadequate support accurate and if they would consider monitoring a future flotilla more closely and applying pressure to Israel, a spokesperson for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are supporting a number of British nationals who have now left Israel.”

Members of the Flotilla have alleged that were abused and “psychologically tortured” by Israel. Progressive International Coordinator David Adler claimed that two of the Jewish members of the Flotilla were “taken by the ear, ripped from the group for a photo op with Ben-Gvir [Israel’s far-right Minister of National Security], staring at the flag of the State of Israel, taunted by his goons”.

The video below shows the crew of Ewa Jasiewicz’s boat, the All In, on the receiving end of an IDF water cannon.

Hadeel Abu Salih an attorney with Adalah, the law firm representing the flotilla participants, told Byline Times that Adalah attorneys were not allowed to give counsel to the activists for several hours, and were only let in when hearings had begun. In total she said: “there were around 120 people who went through the hearing without legal representation”.

She added: “even people who have chronic illnesses were not given their medications. They were denied access to clean water and were given food in very small portions. People who wear the hijab had their hijabs confiscated and they had to put shirts on their heads. They also reported that they were made to sit on their elbows and knees with their hands tied behind their backs for several hours”.

Ilona Jasiewicz, who had been in contact with the Foreign Office and her sister’s legal counsel also told Byline Times that IDF soldiers confiscated the medication of the 70-year-old captain of the All In, as well as the hearing aid of another activist and that flotilla activists were denied sleep in jail.

Itamar Ben-Gvir has said he was “proud” of the way staff behaved at the high-security Ketziot prison where the activists were held. He said in a statement: “They should get a good feel for the conditions in Ketziot prison and think twice before they approach Israel again.”

Ewa Jasiewicz is currently travelling to Poland, having been deported to Istanbul, where she will meet with Polish activists from the Flotilla.

The Israeli foreign ministry has accused the Flotilla of receiving funding from Hamas via the PCPA, which Israel considers a proxy for Hamas. Flotilla activists reject this claim.