Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has drawn criticism for seemingly deriding climate activist Greta Thunberg’s involvement in a humanitarian endeavor aimed at breaching Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and delivering aid.
Thunberg is participating with a group organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which set sail from Italy with the objective of providing crucial assistance to Palestinians in Gaza. The mission also includes other prominent individuals, such as Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Graham posted, “Hope Greta and her friends can swim,” in what appeared to be a jibe at the mission’s inherent risks.
His comment swiftly triggered online backlash, with numerous users questioning why a sitting US senator would utter such remarks about a young activist. One user queried, “Why would a US senator be threatening a young climate activist?” and further, “Why is a 69-year-old US senator joking about the drowning of a 22-year-old Swedish activist? Is this where American politics is now?”
Reports indicate that the Freedom Flotilla’s previous mission to Gaza was allegedly sabotaged by drone strikes that damaged their vessel — attacks widely suspected to have been carried out by Israel.
Despite the identified risks, the group remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering much-needed aid to the besieged territory and drawing international awareness to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
