Israel deports U.S. activist taken from aid flotilla

Last week, David Adler posted what he said would be his final communication from aboard a boat sailing toward Gaza carrying medical supplies, food and other aid.

- By Sunauna Hussain

The Southern Californian wrote that the previous night several Israeli naval ships had “menaced” the convoy of some 40 boats.

“They attacked our vessels, intimidated our crew, and disabled our communications,” he said in the Oct. 1 post.

Soon after, his regular messages to his parents, who live in Encino, and to his older sister and brother stopped.

The 33-year-old co-founder of left-wing political organization Progressive International was among more than 450 peace activists, medical workers and other volunteers on the convoy known as the Gaza Sumud Flotilla who were detained late last week after Israeli naval forces intercepted the boats in international waters.

Early Tuesday, Adler and other U.S. citizens were released by Israel and deported to Jordan. Adler is expected to fly home Wednesday. Others have flights arranged by family and volunteers to transport them home to Los Angeles, New York and elsewhere in the coming days, attorneys supporting the flotilla activists said.

The release of American participants, with 21 remaining in Israeli custody until Tuesday, had lagged behind some other countries that maintain diplomatic ties with Israel. Hundreds, including prominent Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, had been deported from Israel and flown to Athens in prior days on flights coordinated by their home countries.

Family members of Adler and of the several other Californians detained had waited in consternation and dismay, criticizing what they said was as a lackluster response by the U.S. government to support the release of their loved ones.

The U.S. government “did nothing for them,” said Adler's sister, Laura, who added that she was briefly able to speak with her brother when he called from a phone he borrowed.

“Israel left them at the border and the U.S. gave them a ride to the airport.