World Jewish Congress president condemns Smotrich over call to ‘bury idea of Palestinian state’
Ronald S. Lauder says statements by two far-right ministers 'massively damage Israel as well as the security of the Jewish people'
World Jewish Congress president Ronald S. Lauder has condemned Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich’s inflammatory call to “bury the idea of a Palestinian state”.
In a significant intervention, Lauder said:”The inciteful calls from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to “bury the idea of a Palestinian state” are wholly unbecoming of a representative of the state of Israel.
“Smotrich and his partner National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir have repeatedly made statements that massively damage Israel as well as the security of the Jewish people. It has to stop.
“These men do not represent the sentiments of the vast majority of Jews worldwide, who rightfully view these two as extremists not fit to serve in public office.
“I call upon the prime minister to clarify that these views are not shared by him or his administration.”
Lauder’s response came on the same day Smotrich said Israel will proceed with the controversial E1 settlement project that “buries the idea of a Palestinian state” by building more than 3,000 housing units for Israeli settlers.
Israel had previously twice delayed construction on a settlement project that would divide the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, in response to condemnation from the international community.
Standing at the site in Ma’ale Adumim, on Thursday Smotrich said: “Whoever in the world is trying to recognise a Palestinian state today will receive our answer on the ground.
“Not with documents nor with decisions or statements, but with facts. Facts of houses, facts of neighbourhoods.”
He had earlier told reporters the construction will “bury the idea of a Palestinian state” adding:”After decades of international pressure and freezes, we are breaking conventions and connecting Maale Adumim to Jerusalem,” Smotrich said.
“This is Zionism at its best – building, settling and strengthening our sovereignty in the Land of Israel.”
About 700,000 settlers live in approximately 160 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now. It is land Palestinians seek for a future independent state.
Most of the international community considers all settlements illegal under international law, and the UN Security Council has repeatedly called on Israel to halt settlement activity.
In June, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand imposed sanctions on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir over their support for settlement expansion, accusing them of repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
The WJC chief’s comments echo the similarly scathing remarks by Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg in relation to Smotrich, and far-right finance minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Speaking to Deputies earlier this month, Rosenberg described the two Israeli minister’s inflammatory comments as “a complete disaster” for those attempting to defend the Jewish state at a time of intense criticism of its actions both in the West Bank, and in Gaza.
Rosenberg said the “sooner” both men were “kicked out” of the Israeli government “the better.”
In further comments and video, clearly intended to anger the Palestinians, minister Ben Gvir was filmed into the solitary confinement section of Ganot prison confronting the former leader Marwan Barghouti, jailed since 2002 on terrorism charges.
Ben-Gvir reportedly said: “You will not prevail against us. Whoever harms the people of Israel, whoever kills children, whoever kills women… we will erase them.”
Barghouti, who has not been photographed for many years, responded:”You will not defeat us.”
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