Poland summons Israeli envoy over detention of activists; demands release, apology

​Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on ‌Thursday (May 21, 2026) he had summoned the ​Israeli chargé d’affaires over ⁠the detention of Gaza flotilla activists, including Polish nationals, demanding their ‌immediate release and an apology.

“Poland firmly condemns ‌the conduct of representatives ‌of the ⁠Israeli authorities towards activists ⁠of the Global Sumud Flotilla detained by the Israeli army, including Polish citizens,” ​Radoslaw Sikorski ‌said on X.

He said Poland expected its citizens to be treated in line with ‌international standards, and that ​consular officials were seeking access to detainees.

The Israeli chargé ⁠d’affaires had been summoned “to convey our outrage and demand an ‌apology for the extremely inappropriate behavior of a member of the Israeli government”, he added.

Israeli police on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) forced activists who were ‌aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla to kneel ​on the ground in rows with their hands ⁠tied behind their backs while ⁠a Minister looked on, drawing criticism from foreign leaders ‌and even from inside Israel’s own government.