Israel Seeks to Mend Ties with South Korea After Aid Ship Incident

Despite President Lee Jae-myung's strong condemnation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, labeling him a "war criminal" for the apprehension of South Korean activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid ship, Israel has opted for a diplomatic approach focused on managing bilateral relations rather than direct confrontation. This measured response is seen as a strategic move to navigate the escalating international criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza and the controversial handling of the detained activists.

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“We hope that this matter will not affect the relations between Korea and Israel and that they will develop further.”

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed through diplomatic channels its hope that the incident would not negatively impact, and would instead foster further development of, relations between South Korea and Israel. The two South Korean activists were deported rather than detained, and are expected to return to South Korea shortly. Israel's encompassing reference to "this matter" appears to include both the apprehension and release of the activists and President Lee's sharp criticism.

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“Apprehending our citizens for reasons that are not legally justifiable is excessive and inhumane.”

President Lee had previously denounced the apprehension of the South Korean nationals as "excessive and inhumane," citing a lack of legal justification, and had even suggested considering the execution of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Prime Minister Netanyahu. This strong stance had raised concerns within diplomatic circles about a potential cooling of South Korea-Israel relations. However, Israel's current response, focusing on maintaining friendly ties, marks a departure from its reaction to President Lee's earlier criticism of Israel on social media, when the Israeli Foreign Ministry had deemed his comments "unacceptable."

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“Welcome to Israel. We are the masters of this land.”

Israel's adjusted response is also attributed to the intensifying global scrutiny of its actions, particularly following the release of a video showing Israeli Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir forcing the detained activists to kneel and bow their heads, stating, "Welcome to Israel. We are the masters of this land." This incident has drawn widespread condemnation from over 20 countries. Nevertheless, Israel maintains a firm position on the Gaza blockade, asserting that the aid flotilla was not humanitarian but a provocation aimed at undermining Israel's fight against terrorism and disrupting peace efforts. The Israeli Embassy in Seoul emphasized its right to intercept vessels violating the blockade under the Law of Naval Warfare, a claim that President Lee questioned by asking whether the Mediterranean Sea where the interception occurred constituted Israeli territorial waters.

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“The flotilla, which included South Korean nationals, was an attempt to undermine President Donald Trump's peace efforts in the region. Israel is implementing a legal maritime blockade on the Gaza Strip.”