The US on Wednesday lambasted Israel’s finance minister for “repugnant, irresponsible, and disgusting” comments after he called for wiping out the Palestinian village of Huwara.
During a press briefing, State Department Spokesman Ned Price said the remarks by Bezalel Smotrich amounted to an “incitement to violence.”
Smotrich said the village of Huwara needed to be wiped out. “I think the state of Israel should do it,” he said in televised remarks.
Price called on PM Benjamin Netanyahu and other government members to publicly condemn the comments. “Just as we condemn Palestinian incitement to violence, we condemn these provocative remarks that also amount to incitement to violence,” he added.
Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have been at odds with the Biden administration over their far-right policies, including a pledge to expand illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.
Washington has publicly and privately urged the Netanyahu government, considered one of the most extreme in the country’s history, against moving ahead with this move.
Israel has also witnessed nationwide protests against plans by Netanyahu to proceed with moves that would be seen as weakening the Supreme Court and granting politicians more power over the judiciary.
Al Arabiya News