Smotrich’s comment has generated outrage even from Israel allies, the US and several other Western nations.
The finance minister has said allowing Gaza’s entire population to go hungry was morally justified as Israel battle Hamas for almost a year.
According to him, the starvation should continue Earlier this week, Smotrich publicly complained “until they [Hamas] return our hostages.”
In a statement to the Times of Israel, the US State Department said it was “appalled by these comments,” calling them “harmful and disturbing.”
The statement also noted that US President Joe Biden and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken have repeatedly stressed “the need to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza” and remove any obstacles to the flow of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave.
EU Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell expressed outrage at Smotrich’s comments, noting that the starving of civilians constitutes a “war crime” and that advocating for it was “beyond ignominious.”
“We expect the Israeli government to unequivocally distance itself from the words of Minister Smotrich,” which “demonstrates, once again, his contempt for international law and for basic principles of humanity,” Borrell said.
The UK’s new foreign minister, David Lammy, joined the chorus of condemnation, writing on X that “there can be no justification for Minister Smotrich’s remarks” and urging the “wider Israeli government to retract and condemn them.”
The French Foreign Ministry expressed “deep astonishment” at the remarks, calling them “disgraceful.”
The ministry described the comments as an “explicit admission of adopting and bragging about the policy of genocide” in Gaza, and that such a statement is “considered a direct disregard for international legitimacy decisions and international consensus on protecting civilians and securing their basic humanitarian needs.”
Amidst the criticism, Smotrich said he did not advocate for starving Palestinians, but believes that further aid to Gaza should be conditioned on the release of the hostages held by Hamas.
“I fully stand by my statement,” Smotrich said. “If there are attempts to misconstrue my words, I believe I have provided a clear and unambiguous explanation of my intended meaning.”
