Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir criticized Italy on Monday following reports that Rome had opened a criminal investigation into his treatment of Gaza-flotilla activists.
“The land of the boot has become the land of the flip-flop,” the Otzma Yehudit Party leader tweeted, referencing Italy’s geographical shape, which resembles a boot.
In a separate statement, Ben-Gvir said, “I will not shy away from one investigation or another and will continue to stand proudly alongside our fighters.”
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he had “no words” for Ben-Gvir’s response to the reports.
“Unacceptable words that we send back to the sender, they are not worthy of a minister,” Rome’s top diplomat wrote on X on Tuesday.
An Italian justice source told Reuters that Ben-Gvir was being investigated on suspicion of torture and kidnapping Italian citizens who tried to sail to Gaza last month.
If the initial probe determines that charges are warranted, prosecutors could lodge a formal request for criminal proceedings, the report added.
A video disseminated by Ben-Gvir on May 20 showed the minister welcoming detainees from the Global Sumud Flotilla. Ben-Gvir in the footage confronted the activists and accused them of supporting terrorism while they were seated with their hands bound.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter distanced themselves from Ben-Gvir’s conduct.
