Smotrich retracts 'keep riding camels' remark to Saudi Arabia
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Bezalel Smotrich has earlier mocked Saudi normalization efforts and rejected Palestinian statehood, drawing sharp criticism from Israeli opposition leaders, forcing him to apologize.
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Israeli politician Bezalel Smotrich is seen inside the Knesset before President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in al-Quds (AP)
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich mocked Saudi Arabia and any attempts to normalize relations in return for a Palestinian State during a conference for the Zomet Institute and the Makor Rishon newspaper on Thursday.
"If Saudi Arabia tells us ‘normalization in exchange for a Palestinian state,’ friends — no thank you. Keep riding camels in the desert in Saudi Arabia, and we will continue to develop with the economy, society and state and the great things that we know how to do. Israel is the state of Israel within all its borders, and there will never be a Palestinian state," Smotrich stated, addressing Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Soon after, the Israeli minister apologized for his remarks of "keep riding camels" in a video he posted on X. “My comment about Saudi Arabia was absolutely inappropriate, and I apologize for the insult it caused," Smotrich said in the video.
However, the far-right minister and party leader doubled down on his rejection of a Palestinian state in the same video, stating, “I expect from the Saudis not to do us harm and not to deny our heritage, our tradition and the rights of the Jewish people to its historic homelands in Judea and Samaria, and to establish true peace with us.”
Why the tantrum
Riyadh has long insisted that it will only normalize ties with "Israel" if "Israel" agrees to establish a time-bound, irreversible pathway to a future Palestinian state, which Smotrich and other members of Netanyahu’s right-wing government vehemently oppose.
Smotrich's comments came following Wednesday’s vote in the Knesset to pass a bill that would apply Israeli "sovereignty" to West Bank settlements, despite opposition from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party.
In response, Saudi Arabia immediately denounced the passing of the bills, saying they were aimed at “legitimizing Israeli sovereignty over illegal colonial settlement.”
“The kingdom stresses its complete rejection of all settlements and expansionist violations perpetrated by the Israeli occupation authorities,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. “The kingdom reiterates its support for the inherent and historical right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with relevant international resolutions.”
Ben-Gvir defends 'annexation'
Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, in a social media post directed at US President Donald Trump, wrote that “Israel is a sovereign and independent state” and that “members of the Knesset vote according to their own discretion.”
His X post followed yesterday’s preliminary Knesset votes on two bills that would "annex" parts of the West Bank, knowing that his far-right Otzma Yehudit party voted in favor.
Ben-Gvir claimed that he has “great respect” for Trump, whom he called “the best American president toward Israel.”
He also appeared to address Trump’s comments to Time magazine, published today, that the president may pressure "Israel" to free prominent Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, vowing he “will not be released and will not lead Gaza.”
Smotrich's remarks draw rebukes from opposition
Smotrich's statement received rebuttals from Israeli opposition leaders, criticizing his position, as well as the Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid responded to Smotrich's remarks by writing in Arabic on the platform X, “To our friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, Smotrich does not represent the State of Israel.”
He took a direct swing at the finance minister, describing him as "like the lowest-tier Twitter users."
“This is not how you lead change. Smotrich must apologize,” the Yesh Atid party leader demanded.
Democratic Party leader Yair Golan stated, "Instead of normalization with Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu and Smotrich’s coalition chooses Hamas and Qatar in Gaza," adding that "the boycott imposed on the Saudis is a prize for Hamas and will help it maintain its rule in the sector, exactly as Smotrich wants."
'Israel' works toward imposing 'sovereignty' over the occupied West Bank
This comes as "Israel" tries to assert its land grabs and occupation of the West Bank, most recently by passing the reading of two preliminary bills imposing "Israeli sovereignty" over the Palestinian territory.
Following his announcement yesterday in support of a bill to impose Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, Smotrich turned to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after its approval and stated, "Sir, the Knesset has had its say, and the people have had their say, the time has come to impose full sovereignty over all the territories of Judea and Samaria."
Despite diplomatic pressure and attempts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to slow down the process, the Knesset narrowly adopted a bill to apply Israeli "sovereignty" over the West Bank, and adopted another bill to "annex" the illegal settlement of Ma'ale Aduim.
Before becoming law, the bills must still pass three additional votes in the plenum and will now be referred to the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for further consideration, although it is highly unlikely that Netanyahu will allow either of them to pass.
