US condemns Israeli minister’s ‘inflammatory comments’
Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has sparked outrage with a statement on the freedom of movement of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including strong condemnation from the United States, Israel’s biggest supporter.
Otzma Yehudit Chairman Itamar Ben-Gvir announces his party won’t attend Knesset votes as long as he’s not included in security discussions, May 3, 2023. Source: Twitter.
“My right, my wife’s right and my children’s right to travel on the roads of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) is more important than the right to movement for Arabs,” Ben-Gvir had said on Thursday in an interview on Israeli television’s Channel 12.
He then turned to the Arab-Israeli journalist Mohammad Magadli in the room and said, “I’m sorry Mohammad but this is the reality, this is the truth. My right to life takes precedence”.
The comment was strongly condemned by the United States government, which supplies Israel with $US3.8 billion ($A5.9 billion) annually in military aid, making it by far the country’s strongest supporter.
“We strongly condemn Minister Ben-Gvir’s inflammatory comments on the freedom of movement of Palestinian residents of the West Bank, a statement issued by the US State Department read.
“We condemn all racist rhetoric; such messages are particularly damaging when amplified by those in leadership positions and are incongruent with advancing respect for human rights for all,” it added.
Ben-Gvir lives with his family in the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba, near the Palestinian city of Hebron.
Members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s nationalist-religious government, for example, have called for even stricter controls on roads.
The US statement said that both President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken believe that “both Israelis and Palestinians deserve to enjoy equal measures of freedom and security”.
On Friday, dozens protested outside Ben-Gvir’s home.
Following the statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: “Israel allows maximum freedom of movement in Judea and Samaria for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Unfortunately, Palestinian terrorists take advantage of this freedom of movement to murder Israeli women, children and families by ambushing them at certain points on different routes.
Thirty-four civilians have been murdered by Palestinian terrorists in 2023, many of them while driving home.
The most recent incident occurred when Bat-Sheva Nagari was murdered on route 60 in Judea in front of her 6-year-old daughter.
In order to prevent these heinous murders, Israel’s security forces have implemented special security measures in these areas.
This is what Minister Ben-Gvir meant when he said ”the right to life precedes freedom of movement”.
Israel will continue its policy of maintaining security while affording freedom of movement for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Israel took over the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967.
According to the latest figures, about 700,000 Israeli settlers live there today.
AAP/J-Wire
