French Palestinian European Parliament member Rima Hassan criticized her fellow lawmakers for remaining silent after she and 11 others were detained by Israel while attempting to deliver aid to Gaza as part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.

Rima Hassan: “As long as this Parliament is silent, Europe will no longer be a voice for human rights, but the echo of its own complicity and political cowardice. June 8th, I was kidnapped at sea internationally by the Israeli army while I was on board a humanitarian ship on the way to Gaza. There were 12 of us on board the ship, including 10 European citizens. All have been kidnapped, deported by Israel and illegally detained for several days. In a deafening silence of this Parliament, no condemnation, no call for unconditional release. I was handcuffed, searched naked, handcuffed hands and feet. I was put in solitary confinement for having written 'Free Palestine' in my cell.”