Smotrich's extremism is bad PR, harms Israeli case in ICJ
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Israeli newspaper reports that nothing will deter Smotrich from aspiring for an "undemocratic Jewish State" from the river to the sea.
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Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich speaks at the Knesset, Occupied Al-Quds on Monday, July 10, 2023 (AP)
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz warned of the alarming consequences that Netanhyahu's extremist Finance Minister's unfiltered fascist discourse could have on Israeli PR.
"Smotrich poses a danger to Israel. He incites war in the West Bank. His statements serve South Africa to attribute intents of war crimes to Israel, and everything he says and does harms relations with the United States and undermines its commitment to stand by Israel against its enemies. This is because the United States does not support or intend to support the settlement project and the transfer of Smotrich and his friends," it said.
In its editorial page, Haaretz warned that Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, continues to promote escalation in Gaza by making provocative and extremist statements, in addition to seizing Palestinian taxes and preventing them from reaching their rightful recipients in the Palestinian Authority.
Haaretz adds that "neither the requests of US President Joe Biden, nor the visits of his Secretary of State Antony Blinken or the lawsuit against Israel on charges of genocide in Gaza in the International Court of Justice in The Hague will silence Smotrich or prevent him from exploiting the war to pursue his Messianic dreams of an undemocratic Jewish state from the river to the sea."
Read more: Will ICJ rule 'Israel' guilty of Gaza genocide? Let the hearings begin
The newspaper points to the clear contradiction between the American stance and Smotrich's extremist positions, which he insists on not compromising. Blinken said at the end of his recent visit to "Tel Aviv" that Netanyahu made it clear to him that "Israel" will not forcibly displace the Palestinians out of Gaza.
Additionally, Blinken called on the Israeli Cabinet's Ministry of Finance to transfer all tax funds to the Palestinian Authority.
Afterward, the Israeli occupation Finance Minister said in response in a post on X: "American Secretary of State Blinken, welcome to Israel. We greatly appreciate the US support for Israel, but as far as our existence in our country is concerned, we will always act according to the Israeli interest. And so we will continue to fight with all our might to destroy Hamas, we will not transfer a shekel to the Palestinian Authority that will go to the families of the Nazis in Gaza."
מזכיר המדינה האמריקאי בלינקן, ברוך הבא לישראל. אנו מעריכים מאד את תמיכתה של ארה״ב בישראל, אך במה שנוגע לקיום שלנו בארצנו נפעל תמיד לפי האינטרס הישראלי. ולכן נמשיך להילחם בכל העוצמה כדי להשמיד את החמאס, לא נעביר שקל לרש״פ שיגיע למשפחות הנאצים בעזה
— בצלאל סמוטריץ' (@bezalelsm) January 9, 2024
According to the Haaretz editorial, the contradiction of Somtritch's also extends to the internal Israeli scene, as "in his dangerous statements, Smotrich ignores explicit warnings from the Chief of Staff and senior officers about the deterioration in the West Bank."
The newspaper concludes that "the cabinet's legal advisor must clarify to Smotrich that his statements weaken Israel's ability to defend itself in The Hague. Netanyahu must dismiss Smotrich and order the immediate transfer of funds to the Palestinian Authority."
Read more: US has been 'pushing Israel towards suicide for years': Smotrich
Tax revenue seizure: Netanyahu, Smotrich, US, and the PA
After the onset of the war in Gaza, the occupation's extremist Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, decided to suspend the transfer of all tax revenue funds.
This decision was later mitigated by the collective Israeli occupation government. It was decided that tax revenues would be transferred, except for the portions meant for Gaza, which will be withheld by the occupation as it tries to choke the Strip in its ongoing genocidal war.
The Palestinian Authority, however, rejected this proposal of a partial transfer of tax revenues, insisting on the release of all Palestinian tax revenues.
Tax revenues are the main source of income for the Palestinian Authorities and the source of the PA security apparatus' monthly salary. The PA's refusal to accept a partial transfer of tax revenues puts it and its security apparatus at risk of dissolution. Thus, the US had to intervene to prevent the potential collapse of the PA, which could lead to a violent escalation in the West Bank.
Biden proposed transferring the withheld tax revenues to Norway for safekeeping until a satisfactory arrangement is reached.
The PA approved the US proposal and accepted taking partial revenues if the withheld Gaza revenues were transferred to Norway for safekeeping.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has expressed opposition to the release of any of the funds, even indirectly through Norway or partially to the West Bank, and has threatened to resign over the issue, which could put the Prime Minister's coalition government at risk.
South Africa's case against 'Israel' in the ICJ
By the end of December, South Africa filed a lawsuit against "Israel" in which it stated the occupation's inhumane actions since October 7 are "genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnic group."
It stated that those actions were clearly in breach of the UN's Genocide Convention, leading the court to "order Israel to cease killing and causing serious mental and bodily harm to Palestinian people in Gaza."
