Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli minister’s call to ‘erase’ West Bank town of Huwara

Saudi Arabia on Friday condemned Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s remarks calling for “erasing” the occupied West Bank town of Huwara, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

“The Kingdom completely rejects these racist and irresponsible remarks that reflect the magnitude of violence and extremism practiced by the occupying Israeli entity toward the brotherly Palestinian people,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

It also called on the international community to deter these “shameful” practices, end escalation and provide “necessary protection to civilians.”

Hundreds of settlers, some armed with knives and guns, rampaged through Hawara Sunday and torched dozens of homes and businesses after two Israeli brothers were shot and killed nearby. One Palestinian was killed in the mob assault.

A chorus of condemnations over the rampage has poured in from around the world, particularly after Smotrich’s statement.

Smotrich, whose party wants Israel to formally annex large parts of the West Bank, later backtracked on those remarks.

The United States has demanded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disavow Bezalel’s call for the village of Huwara to be erased.

The UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk also criticized Smotrich’s remarks as “an unfathomable statement of incitement to violence and hostility.”

On the night of the rampage, Netanyahu urged people not to take the law into their own hands, but he has not publicly addressed Smotrich’s statement or responded to the unusual criticism by Washington, a close ally.

Also on Friday, the European Union’s envoy to the Palestinians called for accountability and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice after Sunday’s rampage.

“It is absolutely necessary for us that accountability is fully ensured, that the perpetrators be brought to justice, that those who lost property be compensated,” Kuhn von Burgsdorff said.