Tensions in the occupied West Bank have been on the rise since last year with fears of new escalations during the month of Ramadan.
Qatar slammed Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s “extremist statements” over the denial of Palestine’s existence, echoing global condemnation over the controversial remarks.
In a statement on Tuesday, Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the statements and his use of a map of Israel that included Jordan’s borders and the illegally occupied Palestinian territories.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers the statements of the Israeli minister as new evidence of the racism of the occupation government and an attempt to falsify history and deny the right of the Palestinian people to exist,” the statement read.
The Israeli official’s comments came on Sunday during a speech in Paris, in which he described Palestinians as “an invention”.
“The Palestinian people is an invention that is less than 100 years old,” added Smotrich during a memorial for right-wing Israeli activist Jacques Kupfer.
In its statement, Qatar’s foreign ministry stressed that Smotrich’s “extremist statements and flimsy allegations that contradict human values are denied by history that confirms the existence of the Palestinian people on this land since eternity.”
“It also considers the minister’s use of the map as a flagrant violation of international norms and covenants, calling on the international community to assume its responsibility and force Israel to respect the resolutions of international legitimacy,” the statement added.
Qatar, which has staunchly refused to normalise with Israel, and has renewed its commitment to the Palestinian cause and establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Israeli official, who frequently issues controversial statements against Palestine, has triggered global uproar.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh noted that Smotrich’s comments presented “conclusive evidence of the extremist, racist, Zionist ideology that governs the current Israeli government”.
“These inflammatory statements, which are consistent with the first Zionist claims of ‘a land without a people for a people without a land’ and that Palestinian lands are ‘disputed’, and which demonstrate the arrogance of power, do not shake our belonging to our land and history,” Shtayyeh said.
The United States’ National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby rejected Smotrich’s statements on Monday, warning of the tensions they would cause.
Washington, which pumps an annual $3.8 billion into Tel Aviv’s economy, has failed to condemn Israel for its ongoing crimes against Palestinians.
“We utterly object to that kind of language. And It’s extremely unhelpful – again – trying to de-escalate the tensions and trying to find a viable two-state solution going forward,” Kirby told Israeli Channel 13.
Jordan has also summoned Israel’s ambassador in protest over Smotrich’s comments as Amman’s foreign ministry joined in the global condemnations.
Official Spokesman of the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Sinan Al-Majali said that the map presented also represents “a reckless incitement”.
France further boycotted Smotrich during his visit to the country.
Israel was established in 1948 based on the ethnic cleansing and mass expulsion of Palestinians under what has been widely known as the “nakba” or “catastrophe”.
Between 1947 until 1949, at least 750,000 Palestinian from a 1.9 million native population were forced out of their own land by Israeli militias while depopulating at least 450 towns and villages.
There are up to 5.6 million Palestinian refugees of which at least 28.4% are scattered in 58 UNRWA-run camps in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza.
More than 70 massacres have been committed by Israel as it continues to forcibly displace Palestinians.
Tensions in the occupied West Bank have been on the rise since last year with fears of new escalations during the month of Ramadan.
Since the beginning of the year, Israel has killed nearly 90 Palestinians.
