Protests in Washington against Israel's far-right minister Smotrich
The State Department agreed to offer a diplomatic visa, but senior officials refused to meet with Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on his visit to Washington.
Israelis and US Jews rallied on Sunday at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, where Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was giving a speech to the annual Israel Bonds convention.
Demonstrators were protesting against the judicial overhaul advanced by the Netanyahu government, as well as against far-right statements and policies advanced by Smotrich himself. Protesters carried signs with slogans such as "Shame on Smotrich.” The demonstration was organized by an alliance of human rights and peace groups, including J Street, T'ruah, Rabbinic Call for Human Rights and Americans For Peace Now.
Other rallies against the Israeli judicial overhaul plan took place Sunday morning in New York and in London.
Smotrich heads the pro-settler far-right Religious Zionism party, member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. Over the years, he had made several controversial statements, including comments against Arabs and against the LGBTQ community. In 2015, he participated at a march that included both people and dogs, to protest against the Jerusalem gay pride parade.
