By Kassy Akiva. Media: DailyWire.com
Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist sailing to Gaza alongside Greta Thunberg on the “Freedom Flotilla,” has a long record of anti-Israel radicalism—including attending the funeral of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Ávila is currently on board the Madleen, a 59-foot boat carrying Thunberg and other activists that is approaching Israeli waters in an attempt to sail to Gaza. The group, which has been mocked as the “selfie flotilla,” is using the voyage as a publicity stunt. Ávila has been seen in numerous videos filmed on the boat singing and spreading anti-Israel rhetoric.
The vessel is set to arrive on June 7 or 8, though it is unlikely that the Israel Defense Forces will allow the boat anywhere near Gaza. Other activists aboard the Madleen include a French member of the European Parliament, Rima Hassan, and “Game of Thrones” actor Liam Cunningham.
Regarding the blockade, the IDF told The Daily Wire that it is “prepared for a wide range of scenarios which it will act upon in accordance with the directives of the political echelon.”
This voyage is not Ávila’s first: he was also aboard a larger vessel that was attacked and disabled before arriving in Malta to pick up Thunberg last month. It was later reportedly towed to Libya. The group accuses the IDF of the attack, though the IDF has not taken responsibility.
Ávila, who has half a million followers on Instagram, has a long history of radical activism. He met the hostages in Gaza “prisoners,” meeting with terrorists, idolized Nasrallah at his funeral, and said that he “despises” both the United States and Israel.
Ávila has highlighted his interactions with terrorists, including posting a photo of himself meeting with Leila Khaled—a former member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) who hijacked a civilian airliner in 1969. Jerusalem Post reporter Michael Starr shared a screenshot from Ávila’s Instagram story of the meeting where he said she is one of the people he “most admire[s] in the entire world.”
In February, Ávila responded to a post about his meeting with Khaled, saying he does not support terrorists—but added, “I actually despise Israel and the United States,” implying he views them as such.
In February, Ávila widely shared his attendance at Nasrallah’s funeral, posting interviews where he said Nasrallah “shines” as a figure who was “thinking about liberation of the entire world.” In another video, he called Nasrallah a “martyr” who inspires people “all over the world.”
“Not many people can say that they defeated the greatest evil forces of their generation not only once, but many times like Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah,” Ávila said in the interview, adding that Lebanon “will never be defeated by the Zionists.”
In a third video, Ávila showed himself wearing a keffiyeh among the masses at the funeral, including approaching Nasrallah’s coffin.
Starr’s post also included a screenshot of Ávila, revealing that he first met Nasrallah when he was 19 years old, adding that he was “so inspired” by watching the terrorist leader speak.
“Wherever there is injustice and colonization, there will be people willing to fight for liberation,” Ávila wrote. “And today, the Lebanese resistance shows that it’s very much alive, reorganizing and inspired to follow the footsteps of its leader. I was very honored and very humbled to be here on this historical moment and to meet such inspiring people.”
In the days after Hamas’ massacre, rape, and kidnapping of Israeli civilians, Ávila criticized UN Secretary General António Guterres for calling for the immediate release of the hostages, calling them instead “prisoners” and advocated for them to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.
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