‘Thrones’ actress claims Israel trafficking her baby after state removes child

British-Israeli “Game of Thrones” actress Josephine Gillan has accused the Israeli government of kidnapping and trafficking her daughter after child welfare authorities removed her daughter from her care earlier this month.

Gillan, best known for her role as the prostitute Marei on the hit HBO show, said in a series of tweets Thursday that her eight-month-old daughter had been “kidnapped” by the “sick and twisted” social services in Israel.

In one tweet, she accused Israeli social workers of “manipulating the truth so they can make money from adoption [of] young babies! Selling them!”

In another, Gillan said she was “sick with worry” that her daughter would be sold into sex slavery by traffickers. She also liked and retweeted a series of tweets calling Israel “racist” and a “terror state that pretends to be a democracy.”

Earlier this month, social services took Gillan’s baby from a family that had been looking after the baby and placed her in foster care, saying it was in the best interest of the child.

Josephine Gillan seen in her role as Marei in Game of Thrones (Wikimedia/Creative Commons)

Gillan says she left the child in the care of a good friend while she received treatment for postpartum depression, but has since recovered.

Gillan play red-haired prostitute Marei in several seasons of “Game of Thrones,” but says she has been out of work since the series ended.

When she first got the part, she described in an interview with the Daily Mail how the role had saved her from a past of childhood sexual abuse, working in pornography, drugs and prostitution.

Gillan, who is Jewish, immigrated to Israel last year just before her child was born.

Israel’s Channel 12 news reported last week that one of the reasons she moved to Israel was because she feared British welfare authorities would take away her child.

“Eight months ago she gave birth in Israel and began to raise her child under close supervision from the social services in her community and with the help of a friend,” the report quoted a person close to the situation as saying. “At a certain stage she left the baby with a friend and flew to the UK for an extended period, which caused the intervention of welfare authorities and the courts.”

The report said that Gillan’s child was removed from her friend’s care after a court order was issued, and that a hearing on the matter would be held next week. Channel 12 said that Gillan returned to Israel to fight the order.

On Tuesday, Gillan appealed for help in getting her daughter back, and launched a GoFundMe page to help with legal fees.

“Three nights ago the social services came in the night at 12:30am! With the police and kidnapped my daughter and took her to another family! I’m not allowed to see her or have contact! I have no idea where she is,” she wrote.

There's my side of the story= the truth and there's the social workers side of the story = lies! Manipulating the truth so they can make money from adoption young babies! Selling them! #CHILDTRAFFICKING ????

— Josephine Gillan (@Officialmarei) August 15, 2019

“I was not there at the time and was not aware of what they had done! It’s absolutely outrageous,” Gillan wrote. “I have not done anything wrong and neither has my friend who was caring from her.”

Gillan posted a video showing authorities taking away the baby at night while neighbors yelled at them and a woman sobbed.

The Welfare and Social Services Ministry has declined to comment on the specifics of the situation, citing the privacy of the child and the necessary secrecy of such cases.

Makes me sick with worry! My poor baby girl ???? https://t.co/6VkNQc6pCQ

— Josephine Gillan (@Officialmarei) August 15, 2019

However, it noted that the case was being dealt with by various departments including the ministry’s international department which was in contact with British welfare authorities.

“Our only priority is the welfare of the baby and we are trying to find the best solution,” the statement said.