Palestinians Demand Arrest of Israeli Official Visiting Washington
A delegation from Physicians for Human Rights-Israel survey the aftermath of a rampage
by settlers in Huwara, near the West Bank city of Nablus on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 (AP)
London, Ramallah - Asharq Al-Awsat
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry on Thursday asked Washington to arrest a visiting Israeli official who called for wiping out the Palestinian village of Huwara.
“The Foreign Ministry demands the US administration to arrest the fascist terrorist Davidi Ben Zion, the deputy head of the Shomron Regional Council, who is currently in the United States and who made the original call to burn and wipe out Huwara (in Nablus),” the Ministry said in a statement published by the German news agency.
The ministry said that, “instead of asking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to apologize for Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s disgusting and terrorist statements, the US administration should have arrested the original author of that call.”
The US State Department on Wednesday condemned Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s statements in which he called for the Palestinian village of Huwara to be “wiped out.” The Department said the remarks were “repugnant, irresponsible and disgusting.”
Speaking at a business conference on Wednesday, Smotrich was asked why he ‘liked’ a tweet on Sunday evening posted by Ben Zion calling for the destruction of the village.
The minister said that he liked the tweet “because I think the village of Huwara needs to be wiped out. I think the State of Israel should do it.”
The call came just days after Israeli settlers attacked the occupied West Bank village.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh described Smotrich's statements as “terrorist and racist,” saying they constitute a dangerous threat against the Palestinian people in the occupied territories.
Shtayyeh added that the Israeli minister's statements “are sufficient to bring him to international justice, considered to be an official incitement to commit new massacres against Palestinians.”
He then called on the UN, the EU and all international organizations to condemn the Israeli minister’s statements and to activate international resolutions that boycott Israel, hold it accountable for its “crimes” and not allow it to escape punishment.
US faces growing call to deny entry to Israel’s Bezalel Smotrich
Rights groups are urging Washington to revoke visa of Israeli minister who called for wiping out a Palestinian village.
By Al Jazeera Staff
Published On 2 Mar 2023
Washington, DC – The United States government is facing growing calls from advocacy groups, including Jewish-American organisations, to impose a visa ban on a far-right Israeli minister who called for wiping out a Palestinian village.
The US Department of State had denounced Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich’s comments on Wednesday, calling them “repugnant” and “disgusting”, but advocates have said verbal condemnation is not enough.
Smotrich, an ultranationalist who also oversees civilian administration in the occupied West Bank, is set to speak at a conference in Washington, DC later in March, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported on Wednesday.
“I think the village of Huwara needs to be wiped out. I think the state of Israel should do it,” Smotrich was quoted as saying by Israeli media outlets after Israeli settlers ransacked the Palestinian town and burned down dozens of homes and cars.
Americans for Peace Now (APN), a US Jewish group that opposes the occupation, said Smotrich’s comments were a call for a war crime and urged President Joe Biden to deny him entry into the US.
“The United States must be clear. The only thing that should be wiped out is his violent and hateful ideology. It is unacceptable abroad and it is unacceptable here,” APN said in a letter to Biden that it urged supporters to sign.
“Now Smotrich wants to bring his hatred to US soil. He has plans to travel to the United States later this month. We’re here to say that he is not welcome.”
For its part, J Street, a Jewish-American group that describes itself as pro-Israel and pro-peace, called on US officials to shun Smotrich.
“They should make clear that Smotrich’s comments and actions are immensely damaging to the US-Israel relationship,” J Street said in a statement.
“Additionally, the administration should make clear that comments promoting grave violations of human rights, such as those made by Smotrich, are grounds for re-examination of a visa for entry to the United States.”
Asked about the calls to deny entry to Smotrich, Department of State spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on Thursday, “We don’t speak to individual visa records nor – as a general matter – to a particular individual’s eligibility for a US visa. Nevertheless, we’ll continue to make clear that we reject the comments from the minister, just as we did yesterday.”
The settlers’ attack on Huwara had sparked international outrage against the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with many Palestinians saying that Israeli forces watched on and did not try to stop the rampage.
Israel, accused of imposing a system of apartheid by leading human rights organisations like Amnesty International, receives at least $3.8bn of US aid annually.
Washington has been increasingly critical of the policies of Netanyahu’s far-right government, including the expansion of Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land. However, the Biden administration regularly reasserts its “ironclad” commitment for Israel, ruling out practical measures to counter Israeli government policies.
Progressive advocates and lawmakers have said Washington should impose conditions on its aid to Israel, but Biden has repeatedly dismissed the idea.
T’ruah, a rights group that represents hundreds of rabbis across the US, called on the Biden administration this week to revoke Smotrich’s visa and urged American Jewish organisations to refuse to engage with him.
“Not only does his comment add to the pain of families and community members harmed by the violence in Huwara, it also adds to the increasing incitement from members of Netanyahu’s new far-right, extremist government,” T’ruah CEO, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, said in a statement.
Adalah Justice Project, a Palestinian-led US advocacy group, encouraged supporters to sign on to a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to ban Smotrich from entering the country.
“The United States must ban the travel of Israel’s Bezalel Smotrich to the United States in March 2023 because of his statements that call for violence and atrocities against the Palestinian people,” the letter reads, describing the Israeli minister’s comments against Huwara as a “call for genocide”.
Democratic Senator Peter Welch said he shared a letter with Biden on Thursday, urging the US president to take a more active approach to push towards a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“We have a choice: stand by passively as a withered two-state approach recedes into oblivion or do our best to reenergize it with more assertive efforts to persuade the Netanyahu government to stop further expansion of settlements in the West Bank, to halt all de facto annexations, and to reaffirm Israel’s commitment to a viable two-state solution,” the senator wrote.
“Any hope for peace and prosperity in the region depends on the United States making the right choice, right now.”
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA
Smotrich not expected to meet US gov’t officials during DC visitRights groups are urging Washington to revoke visa of Israeli minister who called for wiping out a Palestinian village.
By Al Jazeera Staff
Published On 2 Mar 2023
Washington, DC – The United States government is facing growing calls from advocacy groups, including Jewish-American organisations, to impose a visa ban on a far-right Israeli minister who called for wiping out a Palestinian village.
The US Department of State had denounced Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich’s comments on Wednesday, calling them “repugnant” and “disgusting”, but advocates have said verbal condemnation is not enough.
Smotrich, an ultranationalist who also oversees civilian administration in the occupied West Bank, is set to speak at a conference in Washington, DC later in March, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported on Wednesday.
“I think the village of Huwara needs to be wiped out. I think the state of Israel should do it,” Smotrich was quoted as saying by Israeli media outlets after Israeli settlers ransacked the Palestinian town and burned down dozens of homes and cars.
Americans for Peace Now (APN), a US Jewish group that opposes the occupation, said Smotrich’s comments were a call for a war crime and urged President Joe Biden to deny him entry into the US.
“The United States must be clear. The only thing that should be wiped out is his violent and hateful ideology. It is unacceptable abroad and it is unacceptable here,” APN said in a letter to Biden that it urged supporters to sign.
“Now Smotrich wants to bring his hatred to US soil. He has plans to travel to the United States later this month. We’re here to say that he is not welcome.”
For its part, J Street, a Jewish-American group that describes itself as pro-Israel and pro-peace, called on US officials to shun Smotrich.
“They should make clear that Smotrich’s comments and actions are immensely damaging to the US-Israel relationship,” J Street said in a statement.
“Additionally, the administration should make clear that comments promoting grave violations of human rights, such as those made by Smotrich, are grounds for re-examination of a visa for entry to the United States.”
Asked about the calls to deny entry to Smotrich, Department of State spokesperson Ned Price told reporters on Thursday, “We don’t speak to individual visa records nor – as a general matter – to a particular individual’s eligibility for a US visa. Nevertheless, we’ll continue to make clear that we reject the comments from the minister, just as we did yesterday.”
The settlers’ attack on Huwara had sparked international outrage against the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with many Palestinians saying that Israeli forces watched on and did not try to stop the rampage.
Israel, accused of imposing a system of apartheid by leading human rights organisations like Amnesty International, receives at least $3.8bn of US aid annually.
Washington has been increasingly critical of the policies of Netanyahu’s far-right government, including the expansion of Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land. However, the Biden administration regularly reasserts its “ironclad” commitment for Israel, ruling out practical measures to counter Israeli government policies.
Progressive advocates and lawmakers have said Washington should impose conditions on its aid to Israel, but Biden has repeatedly dismissed the idea.
T’ruah, a rights group that represents hundreds of rabbis across the US, called on the Biden administration this week to revoke Smotrich’s visa and urged American Jewish organisations to refuse to engage with him.
“Not only does his comment add to the pain of families and community members harmed by the violence in Huwara, it also adds to the increasing incitement from members of Netanyahu’s new far-right, extremist government,” T’ruah CEO, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, said in a statement.
Adalah Justice Project, a Palestinian-led US advocacy group, encouraged supporters to sign on to a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to ban Smotrich from entering the country.
“The United States must ban the travel of Israel’s Bezalel Smotrich to the United States in March 2023 because of his statements that call for violence and atrocities against the Palestinian people,” the letter reads, describing the Israeli minister’s comments against Huwara as a “call for genocide”.
Democratic Senator Peter Welch said he shared a letter with Biden on Thursday, urging the US president to take a more active approach to push towards a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“We have a choice: stand by passively as a withered two-state approach recedes into oblivion or do our best to reenergize it with more assertive efforts to persuade the Netanyahu government to stop further expansion of settlements in the West Bank, to halt all de facto annexations, and to reaffirm Israel’s commitment to a viable two-state solution,” the senator wrote.
“Any hope for peace and prosperity in the region depends on the United States making the right choice, right now.”
KEEP READING
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA
NOT AN ANTISEMITIC TROPE
Smotrich is expected to meet with “heads of banks” as well as with other senior figures in the American economy.
Smotrich is expected to meet with “heads of banks” as well as with other senior figures in the American economy.
By ZVIKA KLEIN
Published
JERUSALEM POST
Updated: MARCH 3, 2023
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is seen speaking ahead of his Religious Zionist Party faction meeting at the Israeli Knesset, in Jerusalem, on January 2, 2023.
photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich isn’t expected to meet any senior administration officials during his visit to Washington later this month, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
The Religious Zionist Party head will meet with Orthodox organizations and with representatives of the banking community.
JTA confirmed on Wednesday that Smotrich, who has a history of bigoted statements, will be addressing the Washington leadership meeting of the Development Corporation for Israel-State of Israel Bonds, which is taking place March 12-14.
Many progressive Jewish organizations had said months ago that Smotrich and members of the right-wing bloc wouldn’t be welcome in their communities in the US.
Upcoming meetings
According to a spokesperson on behalf of Smotrich, he is expected to meet with “heads of banks” as well as with other senior figures in the American economy. The spokesperson said the schedule isn’t final yet since the minister and his staff were busy working on the annual budget.
Updated: MARCH 3, 2023
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is seen speaking ahead of his Religious Zionist Party faction meeting at the Israeli Knesset, in Jerusalem, on January 2, 2023.
photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich isn’t expected to meet any senior administration officials during his visit to Washington later this month, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
The Religious Zionist Party head will meet with Orthodox organizations and with representatives of the banking community.
JTA confirmed on Wednesday that Smotrich, who has a history of bigoted statements, will be addressing the Washington leadership meeting of the Development Corporation for Israel-State of Israel Bonds, which is taking place March 12-14.
Many progressive Jewish organizations had said months ago that Smotrich and members of the right-wing bloc wouldn’t be welcome in their communities in the US.
Upcoming meetings
According to a spokesperson on behalf of Smotrich, he is expected to meet with “heads of banks” as well as with other senior figures in the American economy. The spokesperson said the schedule isn’t final yet since the minister and his staff were busy working on the annual budget.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich at a conference of the Religious Zionist Party, in Jerusalem, February 19, 2023.
(credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
There are no scheduled meetings with any US government officials yet, the spokesperson said on Thursday.
One organization that plans to meet with the finance minister is the Orthodox Union. Executive vice president Rabbi Moshe Hauer told the Post that his organization is “looking forward to welcoming Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich” to their offices “as part of his forthcoming visit to the United States.”
“Minister Smotrich will be coming to the States as the guest of Israel Bonds and will use the opportunity to build greater understanding of and familiarity with the American Jewish community and its institutions. We appreciate every opportunity to welcome and interact with Israeli elected officials as it is our responsibility to build mutual familiarity and understanding that will contribute to the deepening and strengthening of the relationship between the State of Israel and American Jewry.”
Smotrich said on Wednesday during a public interview at a conference by business news organization TheMarker that the Palestinian village of “Huwara needs to be wiped out, but the State of Israel needs to do it, most certainly not private citizens.”
US State Department spokesman Ned Price sharply rebuked the finance minister’s words stating that “these comments were irresponsible. They were repugnant, they were disgusting.”
“Just as we condemn Palestinian incitement to violence, we condemn these provocative remarks that also amount to incitement to violence. We call on Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu and other senior officials to publicly and clearly reject and disavow these comments,” he said.
The United Arab Emirates said it condemned Smotrich’s “racist” remarks and affirmed that it rejected all “practices and behaviors that contradict moral and human values and principles."
It “underscored the need to confront hate speech and violence and noted the importance of strengthening the values of tolerance and human coexistence in efforts to reduce escalation and instability in the region.”
The left-wing NGO Peace Now called for the attorney general to open a “criminal investigation” against Smotrich stating this his words “could encourage Jewish terrorists to commit another pogrom against innocent people.”
Americans for Peace Now circulated a petition demanding that the United States deny Smotrich entry.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that the Biden administration does not comment on individual visa information. He reiterated that the US "rejects the comments from the minister and we appreciate the condemnations that we have heard from our Israeli partners."
The left-wing US Jewish group J Street called on US government officials not to "legitimize his extremism by meeting with him, either in the United States or elsewhere."
Smotrich's clarification
Smotrich issued a statement in which he tried to backtrack from his statement made at a recent conference, which has been widely circulated on social media.
“Just to erase any doubt, I did not mean that the town of Huwara should be wiped out,” he tweeted. He claimed that he had only meant “that one has to act in a targeted manner against the terrorists and supporters of terrorism and to exact a heavy price from them in order to restore security to area residents.”
Tovah Lazaroff and JTA contributed to this report.
There are no scheduled meetings with any US government officials yet, the spokesperson said on Thursday.
One organization that plans to meet with the finance minister is the Orthodox Union. Executive vice president Rabbi Moshe Hauer told the Post that his organization is “looking forward to welcoming Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich” to their offices “as part of his forthcoming visit to the United States.”
“Minister Smotrich will be coming to the States as the guest of Israel Bonds and will use the opportunity to build greater understanding of and familiarity with the American Jewish community and its institutions. We appreciate every opportunity to welcome and interact with Israeli elected officials as it is our responsibility to build mutual familiarity and understanding that will contribute to the deepening and strengthening of the relationship between the State of Israel and American Jewry.”
Smotrich said on Wednesday during a public interview at a conference by business news organization TheMarker that the Palestinian village of “Huwara needs to be wiped out, but the State of Israel needs to do it, most certainly not private citizens.”
US State Department spokesman Ned Price sharply rebuked the finance minister’s words stating that “these comments were irresponsible. They were repugnant, they were disgusting.”
“Just as we condemn Palestinian incitement to violence, we condemn these provocative remarks that also amount to incitement to violence. We call on Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu and other senior officials to publicly and clearly reject and disavow these comments,” he said.
The United Arab Emirates said it condemned Smotrich’s “racist” remarks and affirmed that it rejected all “practices and behaviors that contradict moral and human values and principles."
It “underscored the need to confront hate speech and violence and noted the importance of strengthening the values of tolerance and human coexistence in efforts to reduce escalation and instability in the region.”
The left-wing NGO Peace Now called for the attorney general to open a “criminal investigation” against Smotrich stating this his words “could encourage Jewish terrorists to commit another pogrom against innocent people.”
Americans for Peace Now circulated a petition demanding that the United States deny Smotrich entry.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that the Biden administration does not comment on individual visa information. He reiterated that the US "rejects the comments from the minister and we appreciate the condemnations that we have heard from our Israeli partners."
The left-wing US Jewish group J Street called on US government officials not to "legitimize his extremism by meeting with him, either in the United States or elsewhere."
Smotrich's clarification
Smotrich issued a statement in which he tried to backtrack from his statement made at a recent conference, which has been widely circulated on social media.
“Just to erase any doubt, I did not mean that the town of Huwara should be wiped out,” he tweeted. He claimed that he had only meant “that one has to act in a targeted manner against the terrorists and supporters of terrorism and to exact a heavy price from them in order to restore security to area residents.”
Tovah Lazaroff and JTA contributed to this report.
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