WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump has called Swedish activist Greta Thunberg a troublemaker and noted that she no longer cares about environmental issues. "She's just a troublemaker," Trump said of the Swedish activist.
In front of reporters at the White House, Trump continued to criticize her and made harsh comments about her behavior: "She has an anger management problem, I think she should see a doctor," He added. "She's so angry, she's completely insane." These words were quickly picked up by international news services and sparked new waves of reactions in the media and on social networks.
Earlier, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced the deportation of 171 participants in the Global Sumud flotilla, which the ministry said included Thunberg; the ministry also said that "all legal rights of the participants in this PR event have been and will continue to be fully respected." Information about the mass deportations and their routes (Greece, Slovakia and other countries) has been confirmed by agencies and diplomatic sources.
The Global Sumud flotilla - which organizers say consisted of dozens of ships that set sail from Tunis and other ports in mid-September - was aimed at breaking the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip and delivering humanitarian aid. Organisers and international media report that several hundred activists from a number of countries were on board. Israeli forces intercepted most of the boats as they approached the Gaza coast and transferred people to the Israeli coast for further procedures.
According to news reports, the number of detainees varies - some sources say more than 400-450 detainees, organizers say about 500 participants - and in the following days Israeli authorities began deportation procedures. Meanwhile, lawyers and some detainees have reported cases of ill-treatment, lack of access to medical care and physical coercion; these allegations are denied by the Israeli authorities, who say the detainees were treated in accordance with the law.
After their release and deportation, some of the activists, including Thunberg, headed to Greece, where news reports say they were greeted by protest and support crowds. Diplomatic calls for an investigation into the course of the intervention and for the safety of humanitarian aid to Gaza were also made in response to the incident.
gnews.cz - GH