"Zionism is a death cult”: 'Israeli' far-left group Radical Bloc Condemns 'Israel's' actions

The far-left 'Israeli' group Radical Bloc has intensified its anti-occupation activism amid escalating violence in Gaza, denouncing 'Israel’s' policies as genocidal and highlighting harrowing accounts of abuse against international activists intercepted in international waters this week in the Global Sumud Flotilla. 

Formed during the 2020–2021 protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Radical Bloc emerged alongside the Anti-Occupation Bloc (AOB) but quickly distinguished itself as a more uncompromising, anti-Zionist, and anti-militarist force based in Occupied Jaffa (Tel Aviv).

While the AOB distanced itself from Radical Bloc after October 7, 2023, when the group labeled 'Israel’s' campaign in Gaza a genocide, Radical Bloc has remained at the forefront of grassroots resistance to 'Israel’s' war and blockade policies.

Over the past two years, the group has staged a series of high-profile actions:

• Protesting US arms sales to 'Israel' outside the American embassy in 2024
• Organizing local demonstrations.
• Most recently, in September 2025, rallying near the Gaza border to support the Global Sumud Flotilla, an international convoy attempting to breach 'Israel’s' naval blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.

Harrowing Accounts From Flotilla Raid

The latest flashpoint came two days ago, when 'Israel's' naval forces unlawfully intercepted all vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters, detaining participants and deporting them under what activists describe as “brutal and degrading conditions.”

Eyewitnesses reported widespread abuse, including prolonged kneeling under the scorching sun, deprivation of food and water, and denial of essential medical care. “I didn’t drink water for one day… I felt like I was in hell in Israel,” one detainee told reporters. Another described the medical neglect as life-threatening: “We shouted that someone was having a heart attack. They didn’t come. They didn’t care.”

Food provided to detainees was allegedly infested with insects, while some activists were tortured and beaten. “One of my friends fainted on the floor because of the exhaustion they subjected her to,” another witness said.

Even European detainees — including prominent climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was reportedly humiliated and “wrapped in an Israeli flag and displayed like a trophy” — were subjected to degrading treatment. “This is how Israel behaves towards Europeans. You can only imagine how it treats Palestinians every single day,” one activist remarked.

Confiscation of personal belongings, freezing transport conditions, tight handcuffs, and extended blindfolding were among the abuses documented. “They had so much rage and anger against us,” a detainee said, adding that global media attention likely prevented even worse treatment. “The people of the world protected us by demonstrating and keeping their eyes on us.”

Radical Bloc Escalates Protests

In response to the flotilla raid, Radical Bloc staged a provocative action in Tel Aviv last couple of days, painting slogans on city streets including “Zionism is a death cult” and “We are conducting a holocaust in Gaza.” The move, emblematic of the group’s confrontational messaging, underscores its belief that 'Israel’s' policies in Gaza constitute systematic mass violence.

As 'Israel' continues its military operations and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, groups like Radical Bloc are likely to play an increasingly visible role in domestic opposition, even at the cost of isolation and state repression.