Advocacy groups, including Jewish-American organizations, are calling on the United States government to impose a visa ban on Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, who recently called for the destruction of a Palestinian village. The US Department of State condemned Smotrich’s comments as “repugnant” and “disgusting,” but advocates argue that verbal condemnation is not enough. Smotrich, an ultranationalist who oversees civilian administration in the occupied West Bank, is scheduled to speak at a conference in Washington, DC later in March. Americans for Peace Now (APN), a US Jewish group that opposes the occupation, has urged President Joe Biden to deny Smotrich entry into the US, stating that his comments were a call for a war crime. J Street, a Jewish-American group that describes itself as pro-Israel and pro-peace, has called on US officials to shun Smotrich and make it clear that comments promoting grave violations of human rights are grounds for re-examination of a visa for entry to the United States.
The settlers’ attack on Huwara had sparked international outrage against the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with many Palestinians saying that Israeli forces watched on and did not try to stop the rampage. Israel, accused of imposing a system of apartheid by leading human rights organizations like Amnesty International, receives at least $3.8bn of US aid annually. Washington has been increasingly critical of the policies of Netanyahu’s far-right government, including the expansion of Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land. However, the Biden administration regularly reasserts its “ironclad” commitment to Israel, ruling out practical measures to counter Israeli government policies.
Progressive advocates and lawmakers have said Washington should impose conditions on its aid to Israel, but Biden has repeatedly dismissed the idea. T’ruah, a rights group that represents hundreds of rabbis across the US, has called on the Biden administration to revoke Smotrich’s visa and urged American Jewish organizations to refuse to engage with him. Adalah Justice Project, a Palestinian-led US advocacy group, has encouraged supporters to sign on to a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to ban Smotrich from entering the country. Democratic Senator Peter Welch has also written to Biden, urging the US president to take a more active approach to push towards a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In conclusion, advocacy groups are calling on the United States government to impose a visa ban on Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, who recently called for the destruction of a Palestinian village. The US Department of State condemned Smotrich’s comments as “repugnant” and “disgusting,” but advocates argue that verbal condemnation is not enough. The settlers’ attack on Huwara had sparked international outrage against the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with many Palestinians saying that Israeli forces watched on and did not try to stop the rampage.