Israel's ambassador to the Netherlands, Zvi Hauser Weisz, has been summoned to Jerusalem for urgent clarification after giving an interview to Dutch media in which he sharply criticized ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich and condemned violence by settlers in Judea and Samaria.
In the interview with the Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad, Hauser Weisz was asked about extremism in Israeli society. He replied that Israel, too, has people the state would prefer were not part of it.
He then addressed the two ministers directly, calling their public statements "shocking and unacceptable," and made clear he has no desire to defend them.
The ambassador also spoke about violence by settlers against Palestinians, describing it as the work of a group of several thousand extremists out of some 700,000 residents of Judea and Samaria. He called those involved "thugs and Jewish terrorists" and said they should be prosecuted and sent to prison.
Hauser Weisz added that in his assessment, the vast majority of Israelis agree with his position. He stressed that the violence must stop and that the actions deserve condemnation. Following the remarks, the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem decided to summon him for immediate clarification.
