On Monday evening, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador in Amman to protest the right-wing Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s use of a map of Israel that includes the kingdom and the Palestinian territories, and his denial of the existence of a Palestinian people.
The official spokesman for the ministry, Sinan Majali, said in a statement that the decision came “after the Israeli Minister of Finance used, during his participation in an event held yesterday in Paris, a map of Israel that includes the borders of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the occupied Palestinian territories.”
He added that the ministry told the ambassador that this was “a reckless inflammatory act, and informed him that this represents an extremist racist act and a violation of international norms and the Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty.”
The spokesman added, “The Israeli ambassador was informed of a strongly worded message of protest, which he would immediately convey to his government.”
He explained that the letter “also affirmed the Jordanian government’s condemnation of the racist, inciting and extremist statements towards the brotherly Palestinian people, their right to exist, and their historical rights in their independent, sovereign state on the Palestinian national soil.”
The letter also warned of “the danger of the continuation of these extremist racist actions issued by the same minister who had previously called for the erasure of the Palestinian village of Hawara.”
Al-Majali said, “The ambassador was informed of the need for his government to take a clear and frank stance regarding these extremist actions, and the inflammatory, hateful statements rejected by a working minister in the Israeli government.”
He stressed that “the ministry is taking all necessary political and legal measures to address such extremist, hateful behavior and statements, and what they represent of a dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability and pushes for an escalation.”
Al-Majali also stressed that “the hateful statements… show the world the extent of the historical injustice to which the Palestinian people are subjected and the danger of the extremist racist ideology that the Israeli minister carries.”
Through a spokesman for its foreign ministry, Jordan called on the international community to “condemn the Israeli minister’s extremist and inflammatory actions and statements, which also represent a violation of human values and principles.”
Smotrich said in Paris on Sunday, during the commemoration of the death of the French-Israeli activist close to the Israeli right-wing Jacques Kupfer, that “there are no Palestinians because there is no Palestinian people,” according to a video clip that was circulated on social media.
“After 2,000 years in exile, the people of Israel will return to their homes,” added Bezalel Smotrich, who sparked an uproar and international condemnation three weeks ago, after declaring the need to “erase” the Palestinian town of Hawara.
He continued, “There are Arabs around them who do not like that… They invented an imaginary people and claim imaginary rights in the Land of Israel just to fight the Zionist movement.”
He added, “This is the historical truth, this is the biblical truth… that the Arabs in Israel, as well as some Jews who are skeptical of Israel, must hear. This truth must be heard here in the Elysee Palace, and in the White House in Washington, and everyone needs to hear this truth.” because it’s the truth”.
