by: The Washington Eye
When the Madleen, a UK-flagged aid vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, set sail from Sicily in early June, few believed it would physically reach Gaza. Yet, its symbolic impact—intensified by the presence of climate activist Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan—may ultimately prove more powerful than a successful docking. Although intercepted by Israeli naval forces before reaching its destination, the vessel succeeded in shining an unflinching spotlight on Gaza’s enduring blockade, and on the international community’s growing discomfort with Israel’s continued justification of its military strategy as counterterrorism.
For Israel, the operation was a textbook success. It enforced a naval blockade that has been in place since 2007, preventing any potential breach. No weapons entered Gaza; no escalation ensued. The vessel was boarded outside Israeli territorial waters and towed to Ashdod, with its passengers detained and later deported. Unlike the deadly 2010 Mavi Marmara raid, the operation was relatively bloodless, giving Israel tactical room to defend its actions under international law, including provisions of the San Remo Manual on Naval Warfare.
But playing devil’s advocate reveals a deeper irony: Greta and her fellow passengers may have achieved more by failing to land than if they had arrived in Gaza unchallenged.
A Strategic Blockade, But a Growing Moral Dilemma
Israel’s legal defence rests on its right to self-defence against Hamas, an entity it—and many Western governments—classify as a terrorist organisation. From this standpoint, the naval blockade is an essential security measure, aimed at preventing arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) argue that vessels like the Madleen could be used, wittingly or not, to undermine security protocols.
However, the optics are damning. An Israeli warship and surveillance drones confronting a small vessel carrying prosthetic limbs, water filters, and baby formula is not the kind of asymmetric engagement that garners sympathy. Nor is forcibly detaining a Member of the European Parliament.
Greta Thunberg’s involvement added another layer to the incident. As a globally recognised activist, her presence ensured media coverage far beyond what the organisers could have achieved on their own. The symbolism of a young woman challenging the policies of a state with one of the most advanced militaries in the world has become a powerful visual narrative, particularly among younger demographics disillusioned by what they perceive as moral double standards in foreign policy.
“You Can Also Commit Injustice by Doing Nothing”
This quote by Marcus Aurelius—Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher—has emerged as a rallying cry for the mission. It encapsulates the essence of the flotilla’s aim: to force attention, not just on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but on the silence of those who know and yet do nothing.
The quote’s relevance lies not only in its moral clarity but in its challenge to political inaction. For many, especially across Europe and the Global South, the ongoing siege of Gaza has come to symbolise the failure of the so-called international rules-based order. And increasingly, countries are beginning to act. Ireland, Norway, and Spain have recently recognised the State of Palestine. Belgium and Slovenia are reportedly moving in the same direction. While recognition alone may not end the blockade, it represents a shift in political will—one the Madleen may have helped accelerate.
The Trump Administration and Global Realignment
Under President Donald Trump’s second term, the U.S. has doubled down on its “America First” foreign policy posture. The administration has offered unwavering diplomatic and rhetorical support for Israel’s right to defend itself. Following the Madleen interception, the Trump White House made no public statements condemning Israel’s actions and did not object to the blockade enforcement in international waters.
This position is consistent with Trump’s broader approach during his previous term: unilateralism, rejection of multilateral constraints, and support for allies viewed as critical to U.S. regional objectives. Trump has also repeatedly criticised international institutions, including the UN and ICC, which have raised concerns about Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
While this silence from Washington may have emboldened Israel, it has also sharpened the contrast between the U.S. and other Western nations. European divisions are deepening, and younger voters across both the U.S. and Europe are increasingly critical of what they see as selective enforcement of international law.
The Madleen, then, becomes more than a ship. It is a metaphor for moral confrontation, a call to examine what is permitted in the name of national security—and at what cost.
The March from Tunis and the Moral Geography of Protest
As the Madleen was being towed into Ashdod, another movement was gaining momentum: the March from Tunis to Gaza. Activists, journalists, and citizens from across North Africa and Europe began a symbolic journey to demand the lifting of the blockade and the recognition of Palestinian sovereignty. Their chant? Marcus Aurelius’ line—“You can also commit injustice by doing nothing.”
This mobilisation underscores a critical point: the conflict is no longer contained to a narrow geographical strip. It is being fought in the language of conscience, solidarity, and global morality. The theatre of resistance has expanded—from the streets of Tunis to the pages of European parliaments, to the decks of ships like the Madleen.
Tactical Victory, Strategic Loss?
Israel’s tactical victory may prove a strategic misstep. While it preserved the blockade and avoided an embarrassing breach, the political and symbolic consequences of the interception continue to ripple outward. Greta Thunberg and her fellow passengers did not need to reach Gaza to make their point. Their detention was the point.
In trying to silence a protest, Israel amplified it. In boarding a boat to stop a message, it broadcast that message to millions.
The Madleen may not have delivered its aid. But it delivered a question—one that will echo far beyond Ashdod’s port: When do legitimate security concerns begin to resemble collective punishment? And how long can a rules-based order survive when it applies those rules selectively?
If Marcus Aurelius were alive today, he might remind us that injustice is not always committed with action. Sometimes, it’s committed with silence.
