Mr Newman said the Israeli government joined them in condemning Mr Ben-Gvir\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n
“The actions of Ben-Gvir himself have been condemned from wall-to-wall,” Mr Newman told 7.30.<\/p>\n
“The leadership of Israel has condemned what he did. It’s disgraceful.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“That’s the approach of the government of Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“The prime minister of Israel, the foreign minister of Israel, [they] have all condemned thoroughly the actions of Ben-Gvir.”<\/p>\n
![\"Ben-Gvir](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/646226f4d9d58a5c1094218bf1cc01c9.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reacts as flotilla activists are detained by Israeli forces. (Supplied: Office Of Itamar Ben Gvir\/Handout)<\/p>\n
Federal government MP Julian Hill earlier called for Mr Ben-Gvir to be sacked while speaking to the ABC.<\/p>\n
“To tolerate that man remaining a cabinet minister for one more day seems unconscionable,” Mr Hill said.<\/p>\n
“If Prime Minister Netanyahu was serious about those values, and Israel’s reputation, he’d sack him.”<\/p>\n
Asked on 7.30 if Mr Netanyahu should fire Mr Ben-Gvir, the ambassador said Israel was heading to the polls soon and he wouldn\u2019t share political advice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“The law in Israel is such that when a transitional government begins, you cannot expel,” Mr Newman said.<\/p>\n
“You can’t change the format of a government until we go to elections.”<\/p>\n
Denials of violence<\/p>\n
Mr Newman also denied that anyone on the flotilla would have been hurt and told 7.30 any past or current allegations of violence or sexual humiliation were untrue.<\/p>\n
![\"people](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779365711_534_032e13b1892e27a4dd63d882e42a85d0.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
A screenshot from the video posted by Itamar Ben-Gvir. (X: itamarbengvir)<\/p>\n
“There’s been no sexual humiliation,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I refute that completely.<\/p>\n
“There’s been no sexual attacks of any kind against the flotilla people.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“There are many accusations which are thrown out there, which are untrue. The government of Israel, the security forces of Israel have intercepted all these flotillas with great sensitivity.<\/p>\n
“No one was hurt. The interception was done very smoothly.”<\/p>\n
That comment was rejected by Mr O’Connor, who alleged beatings and rape had occurred.<\/p>\n
“I absolutely reject that,” he told 7.30.<\/p>\n
“I will share with you what Neve has told me.<\/p>\n
“The first time she was held hostage, she was beaten, she was subject to psychological torture.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“She was hospitalised in Crete. And as she said to me, the beatings were not bad compared to what happened to men of colour.<\/p>\n
“When she arrived in Turkey, she was really weighing up whether she would do the final leg to Gaza.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Part of the reason was that she spoke to two people that had [allegedly] been raped two weeks ago on the prison ship, one male, one female.”<\/p>\n
Mr O’Connor then said his daughter told him she felt she needed to rejoin the flotilla for moral reasons before he detailed more allegations as to where her alleged beating occurred.<\/p>\n
“It was on the prison ship and it was the IOF or the IDF,” he said.<\/p>\n
“She said she was kneed in the face [and was] punched in the ribs.<\/p>\n
“The psychological torture she had was being in a stress position for many hours. They were sprayed with water and were subject to hypo-thermic conditions overnight.<\/p>\n
“There were plenty of photos of people that had bruises.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/5b8dcd57340b1211f4ea5ea509c814f8.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Israeli vessels approaching the flotilla. (Supplied: Global Sumud Flotilla)<\/p>\n
‘Unnecessary provocation’<\/p>\n
After defending Israel’s actions but condemning Mr Ben-Gvir, the Israeli ambassador said the fact the flotilla existed at all was problematic.<\/p>\n
“The flotilla itself is a provocation which is unnecessary,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It’s trying to break a legal blockade of Gaza, which is necessary for the security of the people of Israel.”<\/p>\n
Eleven Australians were among the hundreds detained from the flotilla.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said on Wednesday that the government wanted to “see all detained Australians released as soon as possible”.<\/p>\n
“The Australian government is engaging with Israeli authorities on the welfare of detained Australians involved in the flotilla and making preparations to visit them at the earliest opportunity,” they said.<\/p>\n
On 7.30 Mr Newman was asked if Israel had given Australia any guarantees they would not be harmed.<\/p>\n
“All the 400-plus people that were on the flotilla, they’re now in process in order to be deported from Israel,” he said.<\/p>\n
“No one is in harm’s way.”<\/p>\n
Watch 7.30<\/a>, Mondays to Thursdays 7:30pm on ABC iview<\/a> and ABC TV<\/p>\n Contact 7.30<\/p>\n