The Minister of Finance of Israel and leader of the far-right party Religious Zionist Party, Bezalel Smotrich, has once again sparked controversy this Monday by insisting on the need to "annihilate" Gaza as a "terrorist entity," claiming that "1.8 million Nazis" live in the Strip.
"We have to annihilate Gaza. Not with genocide, Yahweh prohibits it. Annihilate Gaza because Gaza is a terrorist entity with 1.8 million Nazis," he declared during a public event, where he justified his words with harsh accusations against the Gazan population.
In his speech, Smotrich argues that the inhabitants of Gaza "have been educated for generations in hatred of Israel and that they are capable of massacring, raping, burning, murdering babies, women, the elderly, and children" and that, for this reason, "they should not exist."
The minister has extended his speech to other points in the Palestinian territories by stating: "And the same goes for Huwara," referring to this strategic locality in the West Bank, a recurring scene of tensions for being located in the corridor of a road that connects with Jewish settlements in northern West Bank.
Smotrich has also emphasized that his goal is to control "all of Gaza." "I want Gaza to be ours. I want it for Zionist reasons," he stated, admitting shortly afterward that the latest escalation of the conflict is having a strong impact on the international stage.
In this regard, he has made an ironic comment about the diplomatic restrictions he faces: "I can travel to four countries: the United States, Russia, China, and North Korea. Each year we can travel to one to rotate. I hope we don't get used to it," he noted, alluding to his growing external isolation.