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PA calls for ICC to arrest Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich 

March 21, 2023 at 10:20 am

Bezalel Smotrich [Atbannett/Wikipedia]

The Palestinian Authority announced on Monday that it will demand that the International Criminal Court should arrest Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Anadolu has reported. The move comes after Smotrich claimed that, “There is no such thing as a Palestinian people.”

“We are following with utmost interest the irresponsible and inflammatory statements made by the hateful and racist terrorist minister, stemming from hatred, terrorism and the claim of racial superiority of the Jewish people at the expense of the rest of the world’s nations, particularly the Palestinian people,” said the PA ministry of foreign affairs. “We will ask the International Criminal Court to move immediately to issue an arrest warrant against this racist terrorist.”

The ministry condemned France for allowing Smotrich to enter the country and be in a position to make “fascist” statements. “We will ask the French authorities to ensure that any activity that takes place on French territory does not violate international law and does not call for the establishment of Greater Israel at the expense of international and laws and conventions.”

The PA also called on the EU to take a unified stand to prevent Smotrich from entering any EU member state.

Egypt, Jordan and Palestine, in addition to the Palestinian factions, have all condemned Smotrich’s statements.

READ: Smotrich remarks ‘wrong, disrespectful, dangerous, counterproductive’