After being deported, Thunberg repeats she was ‘kidnapped’ by Israeli forces, claims she was interrogated

Anti-Israel activist Greta Thunberg reiterates her claim she was kidnapped in international waters by Israeli forces as she arrived in Charles de Gaulle airport after being deported from Israel.

“We were kidnapped in international waters,” she tells reporters upon her arrival in Paris.

Thunberg, 22, arrived in Paris a day after the Israeli navy prevented her and a group of fellow pro-Palestinian activists from sailing to Gaza.

Israeli forces boarded their vessel as it neared Gaza early on Monday, trying to break through a naval blockade of the coastal enclave, and seized the 12 people aboard, including Thunberg.

Thunberg called for the release of the other activists. She describes a “quite chaotic and uncertain” situation during the detention.

She says the conditions they faced “are absolutely nothing compared to what people are going through in Palestine and especially Gaza right now.”

“We were well aware of the risks of this mission,” Thunberg adds. “The aim was to get to Gaza and to be able to distribute the aid.” She says the activists would continue trying to get aid to Gaza.

Asked why she agreed to deportation, she says, “Why would I want to stay in Israeli prison more than necessary?”

Asked whether she was “interrogated” in Israel, she says “Erm,” pauses, and says, “Yeah.”

She also laughs off criticism from US President Donald Trump, who had described her as an angry person, saying: “I think the world needs a lot more young angry women to be honest, especially with everything going on right now.”

Israel dismissed the effort as a publicity-seeking “selfie yacht” and says that it was hardly carrying any aid.