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Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich used a map of Greater Israel that claims the state of Jordan is part of Israeli territory. Photo/Ynet
AMMAN – Government Government Jordan angry after a minister Israel used the map of “Greater Israel” to claim Jordanian sovereign territory as part of the Jewish state.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, part of the far-right camp, addressed an event in Paris on Sunday while standing over a map of “Greater Israel”. The map depicts Jordan as part of the state of Israel.
Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Sinan Majali expressed his strong protest in a statement. He called Smotrich’s actions a reckless incitement that violated international norms and the Jordan-Israel peace agreement.
Jordan and Israel signed the Wadi Araba peace treaty in 1994, which ended war between the two countries since the first Arab-Israeli war in 1948.
Responding to Jordan’s anger, Israel hastened to reaffirm its commitment to a peace agreement with the kingdom.
“There is no change in the position of the State of Israel, which recognizes the territorial integrity of the Hashemite Kingdom,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement, as quoted by Middle East Monitor, Tuesday (21/3/2023).
During his speech in Paris, Smotrich denied the existence of the Palestinian people, saying that the Palestinian people were an “invention” of the last century and that people like himself and his grandparents were “the real Palestinians”.
“Jordan condemns the inciting racist and extremist statements made by the Israeli extremist minister against the brotherhood of the Palestinian people, their right to life, and their historic right in their independent and sovereign state in the national land of Palestine,” Majali said.
He called on the Israeli government to condemn Smotrich’s remarks, saying: “Amman will take all necessary political and legal measures to address extremist and hateful acts and statements.”
“Such statements represent a dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability,” Majali added.
Smotrich sparked a storm of international condemnation last month after he said Huwara, a Palestinian city in the West Bank should be destroyed following the deaths of two Israeli Jewish settlers in shooting attacks.
The town was later attacked by Israeli settlers during which a Palestinian was killed and several houses and vehicles damaged and burned.
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