The Swedish Foreign Ministry stated that Thunberg's claims of severe abuse by Israel were not raised during a diplomatic visit to her detention cell in Israel. The ministry has since announced an investigation into her allegations, which were made in interviews with Swedish media. Thunberg had claimed that she and others were beaten, kicked, and called "whore" during and after their arrest by Israeli authorities.
Thunberg also alleged that she was denied access to clean drinking water during five days in Israeli custody, held with 60 others in 40-degree heat (104°F), and dragged to the ground and tied to an Israeli flag.
She criticized Sweden's Foreign Ministry, saying officials failed to provide adequate assistance to her and other Swedish activists detained in the flotilla. She quoted them as saying, "Our role is to listen to you. We're here, and you have the right to consular support."
However, SVT now reports that internal Foreign Ministry emails reveal a different account: while diplomats acknowledged Thunberg spoke of "harsh treatment" and sitting on a hard surface for hours, she and her companions "did not report being beaten."
Svante Lilliehöök, an adviser to Sweden's foreign minister, told SVT: "The Foreign Ministry does not take lightly the information revealed in media interviews. We are trying to find out what exactly happened during the detention." He emphasized that the Swedish detainees involved in the pro-Palestinian flotilla made no mention of being assaulted when the diplomatic team visited them in prison.
"It's important to stress," Lilliehöök added, "that the Foreign Ministry and the embassy have no interest in hiding anything or withholding any information."
