"Welcome to Israel! We are the landlords here."
On May 20, 2026, National Security Minister Ben-Gvir posted video from Ashdod showing Global Sumud Flotilla activists kneeling, zip-tied, while he waved an Israeli flag and shouted 'Welcome to Israel' and 'We are the landlords.' He urged guards not to be bothered by screams and asked Netanyahu to let him imprison them 'a long, long time.' Netanyahu said Ben-Gvir's handling was 'not in line with Israel's values.' Kan reported the prisons commissioner approved the tour.
International outrage cycle: condemnations from Italy, EU, Australia, U.S. ambassador Huckabee calling actions 'despicable.' The policy thread — who authorized kneeling processing, why the national security minister runs police, what Netanyahu's rebuke changed operationally — dissolved into Ben-Gvir vs world. The video was the story. The chain of command wasn't.
This was not alleged abuse reconstructed from anonymous sources. It was published by the minister on camera. Netanyahu said it violated norms. The press covered the clip. It did not cover what it means when the person who oversees police stars in the footage and keeps his portfolio.