PETALING JAYA: The Israeli flag seen flying during the “500 Pelayaran Solidariti Kelantan untuk Gaza” event last Friday was part of a simulation, not an expression of support for Israel, the organiser clarified.
Programme director Mohd Khairul Hafiz Hassan said the scene was a re-enactment of real events faced by Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) volunteers during their humanitarian mission to Gaza, reported Sinar Harian.
Mohd Khairul said the incident had been misunderstood after clips of the flag were circulated online, sparking criticism and confusion among social media users.
“It was purely a simulation. Those who were at the location knew what actually happened. The Israeli flag was raised only as part of the acting sequence — to show what GSF volunteers experienced,” he said.
He added that many of those who criticised the event online did not witness the full performance.
“There were also scenes of gunfire, prayers, the ‘death’ of Israeli soldiers, and the flag being torn down and trampled. The intention was to depict Israel’s cruelty, not to offend anyone,” he said.
Last Friday’s event, known as the 500-Boat Kelantan Solidarity Flotilla for Gaza, was held along Sungai Kelantan near the Sri Tanjung Floating Market.
It drew about 20,000 participants, including fishermen, NGOs, and the public, who chanted “Hidup Palestin, hancur Israel” and joined symbolic re-enactments and prayers in solidarity with Gaza.
