Event of the Week (Saturday – May 23, 2026): A Convergence in the Doctrine of Torture and Extermination… Why Did the Al Khalifa Authorities Not Condemn the Abduction of Activists in the “Steadfastness Flotilla”?
Israeli occupation forces attacked activists participating in the “Steadfastness Flotilla to Break the Siege on Gaza,” including members of the Gulf delegation, in which Bahrain was represented by the two Bahraini women, Salwa Jaber and Dina Yusuf.
Despite international condemnation of the Israeli assault, Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not comment on the incident at all.
On the evening of May 21, Israeli forces released the activists who had participated in the mission to break the siege on Gaza, including the two Bahraini women, Salwa Jaber and Dina Yusuf. The world focused on what the article described as a criminal scene showing Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir mocking the activists after their abduction and assault.
Several Arab and European countries quickly condemned what they described as a new Israeli crime, especially after the circulation of footage of Ben-Gvir, which, according to the article, reminded the world of what it called the true nature of the Israeli state.
In this context, the article highlights that the Al Khalifa authorities remained completely silent and made no effort to determine the fate of the two Bahraini activists during their detention, despite reports that the activists had been subjected to intimidation and abuse by Israeli soldiers.
At the same time, the article claims that the Bahraini authorities were continuing arrests and prosecutions against religious scholars and citizens as part of what it describes as an ongoing campaign against Shiites in Bahrain.
The article asks:
“Isn’t one of the fundamental duties of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to protect its citizens abroad, both legally and physically, during emergencies, and to maintain communication with them through diplomatic missions?”
Some people, according to the article, may find it surprising that the Al Khalifa authorities did not issue any statement regarding the alleged abduction of the two Bahraini citizens, Salwa Jaber and Dina Yusuf, not even a brief announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirming that it was following their case.
However, observers cited in the article argue that the silence of the Al Khalifa authorities was entirely expected for several reasons.
First, the article claims that the positions of the Israeli government and the Al Khalifa authorities are aligned within what it describes as an open campaign against resistance movements and opposition to occupation and foreign domination. It further argues that this political alignment has gone beyond the normalization agreement announced in 2020, especially following the formation of a trilateral alliance involving Bahrain, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates.
Second, the article alleges that both the Israeli authorities and the Al Khalifa government share similar practices of repression and abuse. It claims that the activists detained from the flotilla were subjected to torture and degrading treatment, including electric shocks, rubber bullets, forced humiliating positions, and the removal of Muslim women’s hijabs.
The article further states that such practices reflect methods that Bahraini authorities have allegedly used for many years. As an example, it refers to the case of Mohammed Al-Mousawi, whom the article describes as having died in prison after torture, as well as what it calls the continuing persecution of Shiites in Bahrain up to the present day.
