Weeks after declaring that the Palestinian city of Khovara should be razed to the ground, his far-right finance minister Israel made yet another inflammatory statement, denying the existence Palestinian peopletriggering a reaction in Washington.

“Who was the first Palestinian king?” What language do Palestinians speak? Has there ever been a Palestinian currency? Is there a Palestinian history or culture? Nothing. No Palestinian peopleThis Bezalel Smotrich said during a speech in Paris.

“This is historical truth, this is biblical truth (…) and this truth must be heard by the Arabs in Israel, as well as some confused Jews in Israel. This truth must be heard here at the Elysee Palace and at the White House in Washington, and the whole world must hear this truth, because This is true“, – said Smotrych.

“The Palestinian people are a fabrication.”

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said “there is no such thing” as the Palestinian people during a conference in Paris, France. pic.twitter.com/81EWqq80IH

— TRT World (@trtworld) March 20, 2023

Smotrich’s comments came on the same day that Israelis and Palestinians met in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to ease tensions ahead of Ramadan for Muslims and Passover for Jews.

The minister, who has authority over the Israeli unit that controls border crossings and entry permits for Palestinians, is not the first time he has denied the existence of the Palestinian people. He has made controversial comments about Palestinians in the past, as well as other issues such as LGBTI rights.

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The Palestinian Authority criticized Smotrich’s comments as “racist”, calling them “attempt to falsify history“.

Claims that “the Palestinian people do not exist and that they are an invention of the last 100 years are irrefutable proof of the racism of the extreme Zionist ideology of the current Israeli government,” condemned Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Staheh.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reacted to the comments, saying they did nothing to defuse tensions in the region.

“We are categorically against such rhetoric. And they are excellent useless in -again- trying to defuse tension and find a sustainable two-state solution,” he said, speaking on Israeli television. “We don’t want to see any action or rhetoric that can block the path or become an obstacle to a viable two-state solution, and that kind of rhetoric is an obstacle,” he added.

Recall that Smotrich, who is also tasked with overseeing the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, said during an event in early March: “I believe that the village of Huara must be repaid. I think this should be done by the State of Israel, not the citizens, for heaven’s sake.”

Source: CNN