Israel's finance minister is backing down after scandalous remarks
Just a few days ago, Israel's Finance Minister Smotrich caused outrage in Europe with his remarks about starving Palestinians. Now, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is also criticizing the politician. Meanwhile, Smotrich has made another sharp statement.
A few days after his controversial remarks about starving Palestinians, right-wing Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticized demands for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict with sharp words. After the energetic demands of Qatar, Egypt, and the US for an agreement on a ceasefire, he described such a deal as a "dangerous trap." It would end the war in the Gaza Strip before the destruction of Hamas and allow it to regroup and kill Jews again, Smotrich wrote on X.
The mediators had pressured Israel and the Islamic Hamas to resume negotiations on Thursday evening "to close all remaining gaps and begin implementing the agreement without further delay." Smotrich condemned the demanded deal as a surrender agreement that the mediators would impose on Israel. This would also mean that the Shiite Hezbollah militia in Lebanon could remain close to Israel's northern border. Israel's deterrent power in the Middle East would be significantly weakened as a result.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced after the publication of the statement that Israel would "in accordance with the proposal of the USA and the mediators" send a delegation to a yet to be determined location on August 15 "to finalize the details of the implementation of the agreement." Smotrich called on Netanyahu not to fall into the trap and deviate from his red lines.
Outrage after 'starve to death' remarks
The Gaza conflict was triggered by the massacre with more than 1,200 deaths carried out by Hamas and other groups' terrorists in Israel. According to figures from the Hamas-controlled health authority, at least 39,699 people have been killed and more than 91,722 injured in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war. About 85 percent of the population of the Gaza Strip have been displaced. According to current data, around 60 percent of all buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or severely damaged (see graph).
A few days ago, Smotrich said that blocking humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip was justified to free hostages. He added that, in his opinion, this would also apply if it meant that two million people would starve. Germany, France, and the EU expressed outrage.
Now, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, is also criticizing the right-wing extremist minister. He said he was shocked and appalled by such statements, which incite hatred against innocent civilians and amount to war crimes. "Such statements, particularly by officials, must cease immediately, they must be investigated and, if deemed crimes, prosecuted and punished," Türk said. He also called again for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip.
In response to Smotrich's remarks about starving Palestinians, the European Union expressed outrage. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, subsequently joined the criticism, stating that such statements inciting hatred against civilians and potentially constituting war crimes are unacceptable and must be ceased immediately.
