Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich spoke at the Tzomet Institute and Makor Rishon Conference on Thursday about the normalization of ties with Saudi Arabia.
"Sovereignty is the test. If Saudi Arabia tells us that it will normalize ties in return for a Palestinian State, friends, no thank you! Continue riding camels on the sand in the desert. We will continue developing the economy and society, and doing all the big things that we know how to do," Smotrich declared.
Before that, the Minister said that Israel "is at a historic crossroads which could lead to a very, very good place, when we cut the Gordian knot that ties our relations with Arab states to the lie that is the Palestinian nation, or issue, or state. We will make sure that a Palestinian state will never be established, and we will advance peace agreements with anyone who can live with that. There is certainly a good chance that the Abraham Accords will expand."
Minister Smotrich later apologized for his remarks, saying, “My remark about Saudi Arabia was indeed inappropriate, and I regret the offense it caused. However, at the same time, I expect the Saudis not to harm us and not to deny the heritage, tradition, and rights of the Jewish people to their historical homeland in Judea and Samaria, and to establish with us a true peace.”
Blue and White Party Chairman Benny Gantz criticized Smotrich's remarks, saying, "Minister Smotrich's remarks against Saudi Arabia demonstrate ignorance and a lack of internalization of his responsibility as a senior minister in the government and the cabinet."
"Israel deserves a government without extremists, where the ministers care about the country's future, and not just getting a few likes."