Smotrich says Saudis ‘deny our tradition and our heritage’ by demanding Palestinian state

He argued that Saudi talk of Palestinian statehood amounted to denying the Jewish connection to Judea and Samaria.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reignited controversy Monday by criticizing Saudi Arabia and questioning its attitude toward Jewish history, even after walking back remarks that sparked outrage last week.

Speaking at a Religious Zionist Party meeting in the Knesset, Smotrich accused Riyadh of “denying our tradition and our heritage,” and said Israelis should not feel obligated to defend the kingdom.

His comments followed an apology he issued days earlier for saying that Saudi leaders should “keep riding camels in the desert” if normalization with Israel depended on establishing a Palestinian state.

Smotrich acknowledged that the phrasing had been “unsuccessful” and expressed regret for the offense caused, but he stood by his broader message. “We have lived 77 years without Saudi Arabia and can live 77 more,” he said in a video message posted online.

At Monday’s press conference, Smotrich criticized Israelis who he said were more offended on behalf of the Saudis than by what he viewed as Riyadh’s rejection of Jewish history.

“That, to me, is far more insulting than any remark by a finance minister,” he told reporters.

He argued that Saudi talk of Palestinian statehood amounted to denying the Jewish connection to Judea and Samaria.

“This is about our soldiers, our children, our brothers,” he said. “When they discuss a Palestinian state, they are erasing the Bible and the roots of our people.”

The finance minister insisted that Israel seeks peace but will not compromise its security or sovereignty to achieve it. “No one is doing us a favor by joining the Abraham Accords,” he said. “We won’t accept conditions that threaten our territorial integrity.”

Smotrich also addressed the ongoing conflict in Gaza, saying Israel would not allow reconstruction efforts while Hamas remains in control. “The real test of this deal is in its implementation,” he said. “From our perspective, the war is not yet over, and Gaza’s rehabilitation will not begin until Hamas is dismantled.”