Spain summoned Dan Poraz, Israel’s chargé d'affaires in Madrid, on Monday to issue a formal diplomatic protest following the IDF’s seizure of the Madleen flotilla en route to Gaza. Israel currently has no sitting ambassador in Spain, as the appointed envoy has been instructed to delay taking up the post due to what Israel characterizes as Madrid’s increasingly hostile diplomatic posture.
The Madleen stopped by Israeli navy en route to Gaza
(Video: Foreign Ministry)
Spain's position on the issue has drawn the ire of Argentinean President, Javier Milei, a staunch supporter of Israel, who used his Sunday appearance at a right-wing conference in Madrid to once again lash out at Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, one of the leading anti-Israel voices in the European Union. He urged the audience to “strike down the local thief”—a clear reference to Sánchez, even though he didn’t mention him by name.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed that France had warned its six nationals aboard the Madleen of the risks involved.
“As soon as the vessel was stopped, we requested immediate consular access to our citizens,” Barrot said. “Our consulate made arrangements to meet them upon arrival in Israel to ensure their wellbeing and facilitate their rapid return.” President Emmanuel Macron also issued a call for their swift release.
Germany’s Ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, echoed that approach: “We are in contact with Israeli authorities regarding the Madleen. All passengers were brought to Israel by the Navy, which assured us they were unharmed. They have been instructed to leave the country. We have offered consular support to our one German citizen.”
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President Milei, not a fan of Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez
(Photo: Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)
Israeli naval special forces unit, Shayetet 13, boarded and took control of the Madleen, which was carrying a group of pro-Palestinian activists—including climate campaigner Greta Thunberg—toward Gaza. Israel’s Foreign Ministry, which mockingly dubbed the vessel a “selfie yacht,” said the navy issued repeated warnings for it to change course. When it failed to comply, commandos moved in. “The celebrity yacht is now safely en route to Israel,” the ministry reported.
Activists aboard the vessel later claimed that Israeli drones sprayed them with “an unidentified white, itching substance” prior to contact being lost. No injuries were reported among Israeli forces. The Foreign Ministry released footage showing IDF soldiers handing out sandwiches and bottles of water to the activists, later sharing images of Thunberg described as “safe and in good spirits” as the ship was escorted to Ashdod. The activists are expected to be handed over to Israeli police upon arrival.
Behind the scenes, Israel executed a tightly coordinated strategy informed by the lessons of the 2010 MV Mavi Marmara incident. This time, the operation was precise, nonviolent, and accompanied by a calculated public messaging campaign. The Foreign Ministry—not the military—took the lead in media communications. A ministry official was embedded in the IDF’s media command center to oversee real-time coordination of footage, updates, and talking points.
The National Public Diplomacy Directorate, the Foreign Ministry, and the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit worked in tandem to ensure global media received Israel’s framing of the event before competing narratives could take hold. Outreach was also conducted directly to governments whose citizens were aboard the Madleen, reinforcing Israel’s account and neutralizing misinformation.
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Even the seemingly minor gesture of offering sandwiches and water to the activists was part of a broader media strategy—to project professionalism, restraint, and humanity in contrast to the drama-heavy imagery that often surrounds such flotillas. Officials emphasized the “absurd” optics of a modern yacht supposedly delivering humanitarian aid, branding the voyage a “publicity stunt” rather than a serious relief effort.
British broadcaster Piers Morgan, a frequent defender of Israel, sharply criticized Thunberg on X (formerly Twitter): “Oh shut up, @GretaThunberg – you attention-seeking narcissist. What an insult to the actual hostages in Gaza who really WERE kidnapped. This stupid stunt is all about your ego, and will make zero difference to the plight of innocent Palestinians caught up in this dreadful war.”