“Israel allows maximum freedom of movement in Judea and Samaria for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
By World Israel News Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday issued a statement clarifying controversial remarks by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir which prompted the U.S. to issue a condemnation.
In an interview with Channel 12, Ben-Gvir said: “My right, and my wife’s and my children’s right, to get around on the roads in Judea and Samaria is more important than the right to movement for Arabs.”
“My right to life comes before their right to movement,” he added.
A State Department spokesperson condemned the comments, saying “We strongly condemn Minister Ben-Gvir’s inflammatory comments on the freedom of movement of Palestinian residents of the West Bank.”
“We condemn all racist rhetoric; as such messages are particularly damaging when amplified by those in leadership positions and are incongruent with advancing respect for human rights for all,” the spokesperson added.
The statement issued from Netanyahu’s office clarified: “Israel allows maximum freedom of movement in Judea and Samaria for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
“Unfortunately, Palestinian terrorists take advantage of this freedom of movement to murder Israeli women, children and families by ambushing them at certain points on different routes.”
“Thirty-four civilians have been murdered by Palestinian terrorists in 2023, many of them while driving home. The most recent incident occurred when Batsheva Nagari was murdered on route 60 in Judea in front of her 6-year-old daughter,” the statement noted.
“In order to prevent these heinous murders, Israel’s security forces have implemented special security measures in these areas. This is what Minister Ben Gvir meant when he said ‘’the right to life precedes freedom of movement,’” said Netanyahu’s office.
“Israel will continue its policy of maintaining security while affording freedom of movement for both Israelis and Palestinians,” the statement concluded.