Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich expressed regret on Thursday (October 23rd) for what he called his “unfortunate” remarks about Saudi Arabia after facing a backlash.
Smotrich had previously made a controversial comment suggesting that Saudi Arabia could “continue to ride the camels” if it demanded the creation of a Palestinian state in exchange for normalizing relations with Israel.
“If Saudi Arabia tells us normalization in exchange for a Palestinian state, my friends, no thanks,” Smotrich told a conference in Israel.
“Keep riding camels on the sand in the Saudi desert; we will continue to really develop – with the economy, the society, the state and all the great and wonderful things we can do.”
The remarks were quickly condemned by political leaders across Israel and the wider Middle East.
Smotrich apologizes but defends his position
In a video statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Smotrich said he regretted his earlier statement.
“My statement regarding Saudi Arabia was unfortunate and I regret any offense it may have caused,” he said.
But he also called for mutual respect and insisted that the Saudis should avoid insulting Israelis.
“Just as I have no intention of offending the Saudis, I expect them not to offend us,” Smotrich added.
“Anyone who denies the vibrant and very deep connection we have with our homeland regions of Judea and Samaria is insulting us.”
Smotrich, who lives in a settlement in the West Bank, is a strong supporter of the annexation of the occupied Palestinian territories, which Israel has controlled since 1967.
The Israeli opposition condemns Smotrich’s statements
Opposition leaders quickly condemned Smotrich’s comments, saying they hurt Israel’s diplomatic standing.
“To our friends in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, Smotrich does not represent the State of Israel,” opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote in Arabic on X, later calling on him to apologize.
Former Defense Secretary Benny Gantz said Smotrich’s remarks showed the “ignorance” and lack of accountability expected of a senior government official.
Tense normalization efforts
The controversy comes amid a freeze on normalization talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia following a Hamas attack in October 2023 that fueled the ongoing war in Gaza.
Saudi Arabia insists that any future deal with Israel must include steps to create an independent Palestinian state – a position rejected by Israeli far-right ministers such as Smotrich.
The UAE, Bahrain and Morocco normalized relations with Israel in 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords, but Riyadh has so far held back.
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