Part 2: The legal fight to hold Israel to account
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is part two of a two-part episode. If you haven't already, go back and listen to our conversation with Flotilla participant Juliette Lamont. I'm Ruby Jones and you're listening to 7am. 7am.
Lawyers for the Australians detained after Israel intercepted the global Samud flotilla are now building a record of what happened. They're reviewing footage, collecting medical evidence and taking witness statements alleging beatings, humiliation, denial of food and water and detention in harsh conditions. The legal team says the evidence points to serious abuse of Australian citizens and amounts to crimes. So now the Australians are home, the question is what happens next, whether Australia will do more than condemn and whether Israel will face any consequences. Today, human rights lawyer Bernadette Zayden, who represents the 11 Australians on the global Samud flotilla, on what accountability looks like.
It's Tuesday, May 26th. So Bernadette, you've been talking to people who were on the global smud flotilla. You've been taking witness statements about what happened to them. So to begin with, can you just tell me about what they're saying about the stories that you're hearing?
Yes. Hi, good morning from Istanbul. I am on the ground and I have come here to get witness statements and also to get evidence that will then be put together so that we could consider next steps for the Australians. What the legal team is hearing is evidence of some really horrific crimes that have been committed against our citizens. And these range from, you know, broken bones to bruising to the face, bruising to the body.
What evidence are lawyers gathering about the Global Sumud Flotilla incident?
And they are really severe. I yesterday took photographs of a woman who was, you could see the whole hand of the officer who bit her up. You could see it imprinted on her skin. I don't think I saw anyone without a bruised eye. So what I'm hearing is there are citizens and citizens of the world who have been subjected to some really horrific things torture like what I would consider to be crimes. And so I was up quite early this morning because some of our citizens, as you know, have returned home and I have been alerted to the fact that on their return, Border Force had taken away their phones, all their devices, took their passwords and for 20 minutes took these away. So I've made inquiries with the
What was the purpose of taking their devices? And I'll wait to see what they say and for them to give me clarification. Because on the one hand, I am here to document what we are alleging to be crimes committed against our citizens by the Israeli military. But on the other, I am being advised that the Australian government appears to be treating our citizens as suspects.
And so what do you anticipate you will do with these briefs that you're compiling and this evidence? What's the purpose of gathering it all?
Well, of course, it's to gather them so we could give our citizens legal advice, so we could tell them what their legal options are. And look, I do want to say that we have written to the Attorney General's office and I have foreshadowed that this evidence will be provided to her office in the hope that they will investigate and look into what we are alleging to be crimes that are committed by the Israeli military. And from there, we will see where we go.
Okay, and recently Israel's ambassador told the ABC here in Australia that no one on the flotilla was harmed. In fact, the whole flotilla was dealt with great sensitivity. No one was hurt. The interception was done very smoothly. So based on what you've heard, what's your response to that?
Look, I want to say that that's shocking, that's surprising, but it's not. It is a pattern that we see that Israeli government officials do shield the Israeli military's crimes.
What allegations are being made against the Israeli military regarding Australian citizens?
And what I would say to him is that is incredibly misleading and he should not waste his time on trying to gaslight us. We have the evidence. We have the photographs. We have... medical reports we have people in hospital so what I would say to him is you know get real mate just get real and this is not going to assist his government in trying to you know gloss over what they've done and you know I do want to also say that we are really looking into the detail of
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–1:56
2
What evidence are lawyers gathering about the Global Sumud Flotilla incident?
1:56–4:34
3
What allegations are being made against the Israeli military regarding Australian citizens?
4:34–15:47
4
How is the Australian government responding to the flotilla incident?
15:47–17:12