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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Israel \u2018a Collapsing Entity\u2019 \u2013
Mandla Mandela Says Flotilla Activists \u2018Unshaken\u2019</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">October 8,
2025</div>
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<div><font size="1">A group of South African activists,
including 'Mandla' Mandela, arrived in Johannesburg
after being detained by Israel. (Photo: video grab)
</font>
<p><strong>By <a
href="https://www.palestinechronicle.com/writers/nurah-tape"
title="Display all articles for Nurah Tape - The Palestine Chronicle"
moz-do-not-send="true">Nurah Tape \u2013 The Palestine
Chronicle</a></strong> </p>
<blockquote>
<h3>Mandela and five other South African activists
arrived home on Wednesday to a hero\u2019s welcome from a
crowd chanting \u2018Free Palestine!\u2019</h3>
</blockquote>
<p>South African activist Mandla Mandela, who was
detained in Israel for his participation in the Global
Sumud Flotilla, has called Israel \u201ca collapsing
entity\u201d and emphasized that there would \u201cnever be
justice on stolen land.\u201d</p>
<p>Speaking at a press conference upon his arrival at
the OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg on Wednesday,
Mandela <a
href="https://youtu.be/bcEtVUAFmlE?si=odv5X9rfbsK8Nlw3"
moz-do-not-send="true">described</a> the \u201charsh\u201d
experience endured by himself and five fellow South
African activists who were abducted by Israeli
occupation forces in international waters a week ago.
The flotilla, a humanitarian aid mission of close to
500 activists from over 40 countries, was en route to
the besieged Gaza Strip to break Israel\u2019s illegal
blockade on the enclave.</p>
<p>The grandson of former South African president Nelson
Mandela explained that the mission \u201canticipated two
scenarios,\u201d either that they would be successful in
their mission and reach Gaza or \u201cbe intercepted by
apartheid Israel.\u201d</p>
<p>\u201cAs we now know, we were intercepted on international
waters, which is a violation of international law,
maritime law, and a violation of our human rights,\u201d he
stated.</p>
<p>He said 47 boats were intercepted, the activists
detained and many denied food as they sailed to the
port of Ashdod in Israel.</p>
<h4>\u2018Handcuffed, Paraded\u2019</h4>
<p>\u201cOn our arrival in Ashdot, we came to the realization
that there will never be justice on stolen land,\u201d
Mandela stressed, adding that the activists \u201cwere
harshly dealt with by the brutal Israeli regime.\u201d</p>
<p>He explained that they were handcuffed with cable
ties \u201ctied tightly behind our backs, taken off our
boats, and put on the platform, paraded for all the
Israelis and their allies in Europe and the West, and
the global community to see.\u201d</p>
<p>Describing Israeli National Security Minister Itamar
Ben-Gvir as \u201cthe best\u201d Israel could send to the
activists, he said the far-right politician attempted
\u201cto dehumanize us.\u201d</p>
<p>Mandela said Ben-Gvir tried to get onto the boat
where he and other activists were still being held.</p>
<p>\u201cHe insisted he wanted to come and address us,
particularly because I was on the boat. But the irony
of this is that what you would regard as the second in
command in Israel was rejected by an ordinary captain
in the police and told, \u2018No you can\u2019t address
individuals, move!\u2019\u2019</p>
<p>Ben-Gvir was then \u201cushered to the side and denied
that opportunity because he wanted to dehumanize us.\u201d</p>
<p>As the activists were taken to join the others
already sitting on the port\u2019s platform, he continued,
Ben-Gvir, in \u201chis desperate attempt still wanted to
walk side by side with me so I can be captured on
video.\u201d</p>
<p>Mandela stated, \u201cThis is the desperation of a
collapsing entity.\u201d</p>
<h4>Called \u2018Baby Killers, Terrorists\u2019</h4>
<p>Ben-Gvir later stood before the activists who were
forced to sit in rows on the ground, \u201cand wanted to
give an intellectual speech,\u201d the activist continued.</p>
<p>The minister then yelled, \u201cYou support baby killers,
you terrorists!\u201d Mandela said, adding that he then
\u201cfroze in disbelief,\u201d wondering whether \u201cthis was the
best Israel could send?\u201d</p>
<p>Mandela continued, \u201cIn our unity, we all started
shouting, \u2018Free, free Palestine. We are not baby
killers. You are the baby killers!\u201d adding, \u201cAnd he
had no response.\u201d</p>
<p>The activist said the power of \u201ca people united, can
never be defeated\u201d was illustrated at Ashdod.</p>
<p>Mandela emphasized that although they were subjected
\u201cto all forms of brutality,\u201d it was \u201cnothing\u201d compared
to the daily humiliation of Palestinians.</p>
<p>\u201cWe were kidnapped on international waters.
Palestinians are attacked, maimed, and killed,\u201d he
stressed, urging the journalists present to report on
the number of babies, women and men that have been
killed in Gaza.</p>
<p>\u201cSo this can never be about us. The narrative has to
constantly be about the Palestinians and the
atrocities that are daily metered against them,\u201d
Mandela stated.</p>
<h4>\u2018Blood Stains on Walls\u2019</h4>
<p>At the Ketziot prison, he said, \u201cevery single item we
had was stolen. Just as the Palestinian culture has
been stolen, Palestinian lands have been stolen and
everything of the Palestinians has been systemically
erased.\u201d</p>
<p>The former parliamentarian stressed that the South
African nation, \u201cdared through our goverment to take
apartheid Israel to the International Court of Justice
and the International Criminal Court and hold them
accountable not for the two years of genocide but for
the 77 years of the catastrophe that has gone unabated
since the Nakba.\u201d</p>
<p>Mandela emphasized that the experience of being held
for six days in Israel \u201cwill never be about us but but
it will be about the memory of what was on the walls
within those prisons.\u201d</p>
<p>\u201cWe came to the realization of all Palestinians that
have been detained there, who have left their names on
the walls, who have left their blood stains on the
walls, who have been martyred within those walls. This
is the memory we will continue to carry until
Palestine is liberated.\u201d</p>
<p>The South African delegation also included
award-winning writer Zukiswa Wanner, Dr Zaheera
Soomar, Dr Fatima Hendricks, gender activist Carrie
Shelver and community leader Reaaz Moolla.</p>
<h4>Planning \u2018Flotilla Number Two\u2019</h4>
<p>Denied legal representation as well as engagement
with the South African diplomatic representatives, he
said the Israelis \u201cin an attempt to save face\u201d, simply
brought them in for two minutes \u201cso that we could see
we had representation.\u201d</p>
<p>Mandela said that as the group was leaving, \u201cWith a
smile, I said to them (the Israelis), we will return,
we are unshaken.\u201d</p>
<p>He said planning will begin on \u2018flotilla number two,\u2019
adding, \u201cWe will not rest until the genocide has been
brought to an end.\u201d</p>
<p>The activist urged the adoption of the resolutions
taken by The Hague Group earlier this year, which call
for all companies that are complicit in the genocide
to be arrested, \u201cprosecuted and dealt with.\u201d He also
urged the South African government to \u201cstop any coal
that is being exported to apartheid Israel\u201d with
immediate effect.</p>
<h4>Latest Flotilla Intercepted</h4>
<p>Six Global Sumud Flotilla activists remain in Israeli
custody, Mandela said, and urged all solidarity groups
to demand their immediate release.</p>
<p>In the early hours of Wednesday, another flotilla en
route to break the Israeli blockade in Gaza was
intercepted, and around 145 activists have been
illegally detained.</p>
<p>Comprising ten vessels, the flotilla departed from
the Italian island of Sicily on September 25, with
dozens of activists, including parliamentarians,
doctors, and journalists from around the world on
board.</p>
<p><em>(The Palestine Chronicle)</em></p>
<div>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><span><em>\u2013 Nurah Tape is a South Africa-based
journalist. She is an editor with The Palestine
Chronicle.</em></span></p>
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