Bezalel Smotrich is one of the main pillars in the current Israeli government. Although generally described as the finance minister, his work is not confined to curbing inflation.
His broad portfolio gives him partial responsibility for the Defense Ministry and a major role in administering Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
A far-right extremist, Smotrich has used his new platform to incite violence. Just days after Israeli settlers carried out a pogrom in Huwwara—killing one Palestinian and inflicting huge destruction on homes, businesses and vehicles—Smotrich called for that West Bank village to be “wiped out” by the Israeli state.
That racist statement was denounced internationally. Ned Price, spokesperson for the US State Department, called it “irresponsible” and “repugnant”.
Smotrich is not the only member of the Israeli government who supported the crimes by settlers in Huwwara.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, was initially silent after the pogrom. Yet it did not take long before his admiration for the perpetrators became clear.
Ben-Gvir denounced the detention of two settlers accused of taking part in the pogrom.
Members of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, from Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party have openly applauded the pogrom.
One such lawmaker, Zvika Fogel, said, “A closed, burnt Huwwara—that’s what I want to see”.
Read the article by Ahmed Abu Artema in Red Flag.