Palestinian MoFA condemns Smotrich after Gaza starvation calls
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The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs demands that Smotrich get an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against him.
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Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich during the weekly cabinet meeting in the Prime Minister's office on June 25, 2023. (AP)
The extremist Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's statement, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, is an explicit admission of adopting and bragging about the policy of genocide as it justifies the killing and starvation of two million people in Gaza.
In a statement, the ministry said this remark was a flagrant defiance of the International Court of Justice's precautionary directives, as well as the rules of international law and humanity.
The ministry went on to say that such a statement is regarded as a blatant disdain for international legitimacy rulings and the global consensus on safeguarding civilians' rights to basic humanitarian necessities.
It demanded that Smotrich get an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against him for adopting and endorsing the program of genocide.
The ministry also urged nations to denounce this stance, announce a boycott on Smotrich, and bar him from entering their borders.
This comes after Smotrich said that he views blocking humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip as “justified and moral,” even if it leads to the starvation of two million civilians, Israeli media reported.
He admitted, however, that the international community would not permit such an outcome.
Smotrich made these remarks at a conference in Yad Binyamin, hosted by the Israel Hayom outlet.
“We are bringing in aid because there is no choice,” he said.
The EU, France, and the UK have already condemned Smotrich's statement.
The EU labeled the deliberate starvation of civilians a “war crime” and called on the Israeli government to “unequivocally distance itself” from Smotrich’s remarks. France also criticized the Minister, emphasizing that providing humanitarian aid to Gaza is an “obligation under international humanitarian law” since "Israel" controls all access to the territory.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged the broader Israeli government to retract and condemn the comments.
Smotrich's recent comments have sparked global outrage, reflecting a disturbing rhetoric that is interpreted as indicative of genocidal intent. His suggestion underscores a broader strategy to impose extreme suffering on Gaza's population.
This rhetoric comes as the Israeli genocide in Gaza persists unabated, now extending over 10 months. The ongoing aggression has resulted in the killing of at least 40,000 Palestinians and has led to man-made starvation, with children among the most vulnerable victims.
