On video: Not only Vogel: Smotrich also says that Hvara should be "erased" (TheMarker Labels financial conference)
A number of countries, including the United States, France and Saudi Arabia, condemned in the last day the statement of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who said that the Palestinian town of Hawara should be "erased".
In addition, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also condemned the statement.
Among the first to condemn was the United States. The spokesman for the US Department of State, Ned Price, wrote in a tweet on Twitter that "just as we condemn the Palestinian incitement to violence, so we condemn the provocative statement of the Minister of Finance Smotrich seen as an incitement to violence.
It is essential that the Palestinians and Israelis work together to restore peace."
French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre said that they were "shocked by the minister's statement regarding Hawara.
These statements are unacceptable and irresponsible." She emphasized that these things will lead to an increase in hatred and the current wave of violence, and called on the Israeli government to protect Palestinian citizens and prosecute the perpetrators.
The list of countries condemning his words is getting longer.
Smotrich (photo: Roni Knafo)
Later today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia published an extremely harsh statement against Smotrich, which read: "The kingdom strongly condemns the extreme statement of one of the senior officials of the Israeli occupation who called for the erasure of the Palestinian village of Hawara."
They later added that "the kingdom firmly opposes this racist and irresponsible expression that shows the extent of the violence and extremism of the occupying Israeli entity towards the Palestinian people."
They also called on the international community to "discourage measures of this type" and provide protection to the Palestinians.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, also criticized the statement. In a speech he delivered at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, where he presented a report on the state of the territories, he claimed that Smotrich's words were an "incomprehensible statement of Incitement to violence and hostility."
More in Walla!
Signs of weakness: Netanyahu is supposed to have his hands on the wheel - but his extremist partners are steering him
To the full article
Damage from riots in Hawara, at the beginning of the week (Photo: Avi Rokah)
More in Walla!
The Chairman of the Histadrut: "We are in dialogue with the Ministry of Justice regarding the reform"
Rothman: "Whoever complained about the barbershop is an anarchist, the demonstrations are against Netanyahu and not the reform"
The best content in the world at your home with an advanced viewing experience and a special price
Smotrich said on Wednesday that the state should "erase" the Palestinian town of Hawara, following statements by some members of his party this week.
"The State of Israel should do this. God forbid, not private individuals. I called for calming the spirits and under no circumstances to be dragged into anarchy where people take the law into their own hands. What contributes to the intensification of passions is that people are murdered on the roads," said Smotrich.
In his words, he referred to the incident that took place on Sunday, during which groups of settlers set fire to houses and vehicles in the town, this as revenge for the attack that took place there a few hours earlier, in which two Israelis were killed in Mount Bracha.
news
Political-political
Foreign relations
Tags
Bezalel Smotrich
Saudi Arabia
United States
UN Human Rights Council
France
