South Korean President: Israel 'stole' our citizens in Gaza flotilla, should consider arresting Netanyahu
Tensions between Seoul and Jerusalem: Lee Jae-myung, who frequently criticizes Israel, claims that during the Navy's takeover of the flotilla making its way from Turkey to the Gaza Strip, several of his country's citizens were…
Assessment
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has escalated a diplomatic dispute with Israel by suggesting that Israeli forces unlawfully detained South Korean citizens during a naval interdiction of a flotilla bound for Gaza. His remark about reconsidering Prime Minister Netanyahu's arrest signals a significant deterioration in bilateral relations, moving from criticism to potential state-level legal action. This appears part of a broader pattern of Lee Jae-myung's outspoken criticisms of Israeli policy. The flotilla incident itself and the exact circumstances of the detentions remain central points of factual disagreement between the two governments.