Washington Ambassador summoned to Foreign Affairs

According to The Times of Israel, US Deputy State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel reported that US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman expressed "concerns" about the newly approved law in the Israeli Parliament to Israeli Ambassador Mike Herzog. Sherman told Ambassador Herzog, who was summoned to the Foreign Ministry after the Israeli Parliament approved the decision to reopen 4 illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, which was evacuated in 2005, that the parties will increase the tension in the region before the upcoming Passover Feast, Easter and Eid al-Fitr. stressed the need to avoid actions and rhetoric.

'ATTACK AND DANGEROUS' COMMENT

Patel, the Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of State, also urged Israel to refrain from allowing the return of settlers "in line with its commitment to the United States" in 2005, Anadolu reported. Patel noted that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's words "ignoring the Palestinian people" and using the "Israel map" that includes Jordan were "offensive, alarming and dangerous". Noting that the Palestinian people have a rich history and culture, Patel said that the USA attaches importance to its partnership with the Palestinians.

'THERE IS NO PEOPLE NAMED PALESTINIAN'

Israel's far-right Finance Minister Smotrich, in his speech at the commemoration ceremony of former Likud Party Chairman Jacques Kupfer during his visit to Paris on March 19, stated that "There is no such thing as Palestine and the White House should hear it". It was noteworthy that Smotrich used the "Israel map", which included Jordan, in the podium where he spoke.

(AA)