At a packed meeting at the Queen’s Hotel in Dundee, Dr Antonis Vardis, a lecturer at St Andrews University and member of DNTA, recounted his experiences aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla earlier this year. The aim of the flotilla was to bring life-saving aid to Gaza by boat, thereby breaking Israel’s illegal siege.
The audience listened intently as Antonis detailed how his boat and others in the flotilla were boarded in international waters by Israeli commandos, who then kidnapped over 400 citizens of various countries.
He described in painful detail the beatings, torture and sexual assaults he and others experienced over several days aboard the prison ship where they were initially held captive. This treatment continued when they were transferred to prison in Israel. Many were denied edible food and drinkable water.
This was compounded by the video posted of Israeli minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, taunting the activists who had their hands tied and forced to kneel.
Despite his experiences, Antonis continues to be an eloquent and passionate advocate for Palestinian self-determination and for the end of the Israeli occupation.