Gaza flotilla activist accuses Australian government of being 'shameful' in support of its citizens

ANKARA

An Australian activist arrested by Israeli forces during last week's attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla has accused the Australian government of being "shameful" in its support of its citizens, local media reported on Wednesday.

Juliet Lamont was one of seven Australian activists detained in Israel's Ketziot prison. She was part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which attempted to deliver aid to Gaza and break the Israeli blockade of the enclave last week, according to local broadcaster SBS News.

Lamont, who was deported to Jordan's capital, Amman, on Tuesday with other activists, is expected to return to Australia early Friday morning.

Last week, Israeli forces attacked the flotilla, capturing and imprisoning hundreds of its members.

Lamont, a filmmaker from New South Wales, said the detained Australians were better supported by other countries' governments than Australia.

"The Italian government has been really supportive, because (protesters) have basically set their whole country on fire," she said, referencing widespread protests that erupted in Italy following the flotilla arrests," she said.

"The Australian government has been bereft and absolutely shameful in its support. We thought we were going to be there for months."

She said the group was left without access to medication or food during their time in what she described as an "outrageous prison."

Julie Webb-Pullman, mother of another Australian activist, Bianca Webb-Pullman, has also been critical of the government's response, calling it "slow and uncommunicative."

"We're really upset that the Australian government has been so shameful in their support of their citizens," she said.

"It has been very unprofessional and very bad, and I hope no other family has to go through the nonsense that our family, in particular, was subjected to. It was really quite disgusting," she went on to say.

Her comments followed a call from an NSW Greens MP to investigate claims of torture and mistreatment of the Australians, after detained activist Surya McEwen claimed his arm had been dislocated after rough treatment by Israeli authorities.

Others have also said they experienced violence and mistreatment while detained, which Israel has denied.

*Writing by Aamir Latif