Shtayé denounces that Israel has an agenda “based on extremism against the Palestinian people”

He says that Netanyahu’s Executive is “the most openly extremist” in history and adds that all its members are “fundamentalists”

March 15 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Palestinian prime minister, Mohamed Shtayé, has denounced that the political agenda of the Government of Israel “is based on extremism against the Palestinian people”, in the midst of the increase in tensions in the area and before the Israeli plans to expand the settlements in West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Shtayé has pointed out that “successive Israeli governments have adopted a political agenda that promotes competition for radicalization and aggression against the Palestinian people and their rights,” according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Thus, he has stressed that the Palestinians are facing “the most openly extremist right-wing government” in history and has outlined that “all the parties that comprise it are fundamentalists.” For this reason, he has called on the international community to pressure Israel to put an end to its unilateral measures and to stick to the signed agreements.

Finally, he stated that the attacks by settlers, such as the “pogrom” in the West Bank town of Huwara, are carried out “under the protection of the Army and with the support of the Government.” For this reason, he has argued that “there is no distinction” between settlers and the military.

The town of Huwara was stormed by dozens of settlers who attacked Palestinians and set houses and vehicles on fire after two Israelis were killed in an attack. The incidents in this city resulted in the death of a Palestinian.

Amid international condemnation, Israel’s Finance Minister, far-right Bezalel Smotrich, called for “razing” Huwara, although he said that “the State of Israel should be the one to raze it, not private individuals.” Smotrich’s words sparked a new wave of criticism of the government.

Separately, Israel’s full Parliament approved late Monday in first reading a controversial bill to amend a 2005 law that allowed the evacuation of four settlements in the northern West Bank, sparking criticism from the Palestinian Authority.