The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, following his statements advocating for the blocking of aid to the Gaza Strip. The ministry argues that Smotrich’s comments violate international law.
In a statement posted on Facebook (banned in Russia; owned by Meta Corporation, recognized as extremist in Russia), the Palestinian foreign ministry condemned Smotrich’s remarks, which suggested that the starvation of 2 million Palestinians in Gaza could be a "fair" outcome.
“These words represent a blatant violation of international law and fundamental humanitarian principles,” the ministry said. “In light of this, we urge the ICC to charge Minister Smotrich with supporting policies of ongoing genocide and collective punishment against Palestinian civilians.”
The ministry also called on the international community to denounce Smotrich's position. “We appeal to all countries to boycott the Israeli finance minister and deny him entry into their territories,” the statement added.
On Monday, Smotrich stated during a press conference that while Israel “cannot starve 2 million people to death,” he believes that humanitarian aid prolongs the armed conflict in Gaza, according to Israeli TV Channel 12.
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Based on materials from TASS