Israel’s finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, is facing global backlash after he said that the starvation of millions of people in Gaza is ‘moral’ and ‘justified’. Earlier this week, Smotrich said, “No one in the world will allow us to starve two million people, even though it might be justified and moral in order to free the hostages.”
“Bringing in humanitarian aid because we have no choice. We are in a situation that requires international legitimacy to conduct this war,” The Guardian quoted him as saying.
Smotrich’s statements are widely condemned by global leaders.
European Union High Representative Josep Borrell criticised the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza and called on Israel to stop actions that could further endanger the region's already struggling civilian population.
“The ever-worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is creating life-threatening conditions for an already severely weakened civilian population that continues to be subject to starvation and repeated displacement,” the European External Action Service (EEAS) chief wrote in a statement.
David Lammy, Britain's new foreign secretary, said in a post on social media platform X, “There can be no justification for Minister Smotrich’s remarks. We expect the wider Israeli government to retract and condemn them.”
International law could not be more clear - the deliberate starvation of civilians is a war crime.
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) August 7, 2024
There can be no justification for Minister Smotrich’s remarks and we expect the wider Israeli government to retract and condemn them.
Germany’s ambassador to Israel, Steffen Siebert, called the statement "unacceptable and appalling.”
Siebert further said, “It is a principle of international law and of humanity to protect civilians in a war and to give them access to water and food.”
Israel Not Invited To Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Memorial
On August 9, Nagasaki will mark the 79th anniversary of the atomic bomb dropped on the city in 1945, which killed around 40,000 people and led to tens of thousands more deaths from injuries and radiation over the following years.
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Nagasaki's Mayor Shiro Suzuki has specifically excluded Israeli Ambassador to Japan Gilad Cohen from the event due to security concerns.
Earlier in June, Suzuki expressed hesitance about inviting Israel due to the intensifying conflict in the Middle East.
Last week, he stated that Israel was not invited due to concerns about potential unforeseen incidents, including protests, sabotage, or attacks on attendees. Suzuki explained that his decision was influenced by "various international developments related to the ongoing Middle East situation," which suggested a risk of disruption to the ceremony.