Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the small Palestinian town of Huwara in the West Bank to be “wiped out”.
Smotrich, who is also responsible for settlement development in the West Bank, told a conference of the business newspaper TheMarker on Wednesday: “I think the village of Huwara should be wiped out. I think the state of Israel should do this — for God’s sake no private persons.”
The US State Department strongly criticized Smotrich’s statements, calling them “disgusting, irresponsible and abhorrent,” a spokesman said on Wednesday. He called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly reject the minister’s demands.
Serious riots after double murder
A suspected Palestinian hitman shot dead two Israeli brothers in the town south of Nablus on Sunday. Afterwards, Israeli settlers rioted near the crime scene, injuring hundreds of Palestinians. Dozens of homes, businesses and cars were also set on fire.
According to estimates by the Central Palestinian Bureau of Statistics, about 7,400 Palestinians live in Huwara. A central connecting road runs through the small town, which is also used daily by many Israeli settlers in the northern West Bank. A deputy from the far-right coalition party Ozma Yehudit explicitly welcomed the riots in Huwara.
Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on Wednesday ordered a police investigation into Fogel for inciting violence. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had called on Israelis not to take the law into their own hands.
Palestinian to attack
Since the beginning of the year, 13 Israelis and a Ukrainian have been killed in Palestinian attacks. During the same period, 63 Palestinians were killed – for example, they were killed in clashes with the Israeli army or in their own attacks. Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967. Today, more than 600,000 Israeli settlers live there. The Palestinians claim the areas for their own state.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
