What Happened to Smotrich?
"Keep Riding Camels": Smotrich's Shocking Insult That Could Kill The Israel-Saudi Peace Deal
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich causes diplomatic uproar with controversial remarks about Saudi Arabia, potentially jeopardizing US-backed normalization efforts.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has ignited a diplomatic and political firestorm by openly dismissing a potential normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia if it is conditioned on a pathway to a Palestinian state, telling Riyadh they can simply “keep riding camels.”
The Finance Minister’s controversial remarks were made today at a conference in Jerusalem, injecting a tone of derogatory contempt into one of Israel’s most strategic foreign policy discussions.
Smotrich: Normalization Not Worth a Palestinian State
Speaking at the "Halacha in the Technological Era" conference, Smotrich, a prominent opponent of Palestinian statehood, was categorical in rejecting the core demand set by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).
“If Saudi Arabia tells us ‘normalization in exchange for a Palestinian state,’ friends, no thank you. Keep riding camels in the desert in Saudi Arabia,” Smotrich stated.
The comment has quickly drawn criticism for its distinctly racist and dismissive tone, particularly as it targets a major regional power that the U.S. and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government have been actively courting.
Political Timing and US Involvement
Smotrich’s incendiary quote comes at a diplomatically sensitive time. US President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to host Saudi Crown Prince MBS at the White House next month, with the objective of advancing the stalled Israel-Saudi normalization process.
Riyadh has consistently maintained that full normalization will only occur if Israel agrees to a time-bound, irreversible process leading to the establishment of a future Palestinian state. This condition is staunchly rejected by Smotrich and other members of Netanyahu’s coalition, who view Judea and Samaria as integral Jewish territory.