Far-right ministers endanger Israel's ties with US
Statements by senior Israeli officials in favor of "wiping out" the Palestinian Huwara village, as well as calls for the US "to mind its own business," are threatening the strategically important alliance between the two countries.
TEL AVIV — An unnamed National Security Council spokesperson told the American press on Thursday that no meetings were planned for next week between Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and any American officials, not even officials in the US Treasury department.
Smotrich is scheduled to arrive in Washington for the annual event of Israel Bonds organization, taking place on March 12-14.
The National Security Council comment came on the backdrop of a statement made by Smotrich the day before — that Israel should “wipe out” the West Bank Palestinian village of Huwara. Two Israeli brothers were shot and killed while passing through Huwara last Sunday. Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the village in the ensuing hours, burning 35 homes to the ground, damaging other houses and cars and traumatizing the local population.
Smotrich’s shocking statement generated an especially harsh reaction from the Biden administration. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said that the comments by Smotrich were irresponsible. “[They] were repugnant; they were disgusting. And just as we condemn Palestinian incitement to violence, we condemn these provocative remarks that also amount to incitement to violence,” he said.
