US, European Union hit out at Israeli minister's claim that 'his rights outweigh those of Palestinians'
File photo.
The United States and the European Union (EU) on Friday (August 25) hit out at comments of far-right Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir that his right to life outweighed Palestinians’ right to freedom of movement in the occupied West Bank. According to a report by CNN, a US State Department spokesperson said that Washington strongly condemns "Gvir’s racist, destructive comments on the freedom of movement of Palestinian residents of the West Bank."
The spokesperson added that such messages were particularly damaging when amplified by those in leadership positions. The EU, meanwhile, said, “All human beings are equal and should be treated the same way.”
The racist claim
On Wednesday, Gvir told Israel's Channel 12 that his right, his wife’s right and his children’s right to walk through the streets of the West Bank was “much more important” than “Arabs’ right to movement and travel.
"Excuse me, Mohammed, but this is the reality. This is the truth. My right to life outweighs your right to move on the streets,” the minister said in reference to Palestinian-Israeli journalist Mohammed Magadli, who was present during the interview.
Gvir spars with Bella Hadid over Palestinian rights
Gvir's remarks during Wednesday's interview drew condemnation from supermodel Bella Hadid, whose father is a Palestinian. "In no place, no time, especially in 2023 should one life be more valuable than another's" Hadid said in a post on Instagram.
On Friday, Gvir responded to Hadid's post, calling her an "Israel hater" and saying she had shared only a segment of the interview on her social media account to portray him as a racist.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Gvir's comments. In a statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel "allows maximum freedom of movement" for both Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank while implementing security measures to prevent Palestinian attacks.
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