Smotrich: Muslims who don’t agree Israel belongs to Jews, won’t remain

Muslims who do not recognize that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people will not continue to reside in the land, said head of the Religious Zionist Party Bezalel Smotrich on Wednesday, just hours before Israel bowed its head to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Smotrich made the comment in a heated Twitter exchange with Joint List MK Ahmad Tibi.

שמעתי שאחרי שהרב שמואל אליהו שליט"א אמר שמוסלמי אמיתי צריך לדעת שארץ ישראל שייכת לעם ישראל, אחמד טיבי פער עליו את פיו. אז אחמד, מוסלמי אמיתי חייב לדעת שארץ ישראל שייכת לעם ישראל, ולאורך זמן ערבים כמוך שלא מכירים בכך לא יישארו כאן. הרב שמואל ורבבות תלמידיו, ובהם אנחנו, נדאג לכך.
— בצלאל סמוטריץ' (@bezalelsm) April 7, 2021

“A true Muslim must know that the Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel and over time, people like you who don’t recognize that will not remain here,” Smotrich said.

Smotrich leads the most extreme right-wing party in the Knesset and sits alongside Itamar Ben-Gvir, a former Kahanist and Avi Maoz, head of the homophobic Noam faction.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to meet with Smotrich on Thursday as part of his efforts to form what he has called a “true right-wing government.”

In response, Tibi called Smotrich a racist and said that the fact that the right-wing MK’s only chance of becoming a minister is with support from the Arab Ra’am Party, gives him joy. “I am an Arab and you don’t mean anything to me,” Tibi said.

אוי בצלאל היית ונישארת נער גבעות מתלהם. העובדה שלא תהיה שר אלא בהישענות על ערבים עושה לי נחת . המון נחת. אבל אני ערבי שלא סופר אותך. ולא רוצה לשכנע אותך בכלום ולא את הרב ההוא שאמר שהארץ מקיאה את הערבים.. יאללה תחפף Du bist ein Rassist https://t.co/yEWWvtcv66
— Ahmad Tibi (@Ahmad_tibi) April 7, 2021

Smotrich fired back at Tibi, saying he plans on becoming a Minister with the help of God and without leaning on the votes of Arab MKs, calling Tibi's response a "childish provocation."

אוי אחמד, בע"ה אהיה שר וזה לא יהיה בשום פנים ואופן בהישענות על תומכי טרור ומחבקי מחבלים כמוך וכמו החברים שלך ברע"מ. אתם תמשיכו לעשות פרובוקציות ילדותיות במליאה ואנחנו נמשיך לבנות את ארץ ישראל כביתו של העם היהודי, בעבורו ובעבור אלו שמקבלים את היותה של ישראל מדינה יהודית. https://t.co/PgTVsHup3c
— בצלאל סמוטריץ' (@bezalelsm) April 7, 2021

"I have nothing to discuss with you," Tibi tweeted. "You and your Kahanist friend represent a sick variant of Judaism that only a politically distorted brain like Netanyahu's could ignore or rely on."

The twitter spat quickly escalated, as Tibi tweeted a screenshot of a Whatsapp message he received which called to kill and deport Arabs from Israel, saying that he had been “flooded” with similar threats since Smotrich’s tweet.

אני מוצף בשעה האחרונה בהודעות כאלה ברוח הצהרתו של סמוטריץ. לא מתכוון לשחרר אותכם מנוכחותי בארץ שלי. אבל ניפגש מחר בטקס ״לכל איש יש שם״ בכנסת. pic.twitter.com/QNy6czJk2Y
— Ahmad Tibi (@Ahmad_tibi) April 7, 2021

MK Ofer Cassif responded to the incident in a tweet as well, writing that “Israeli society is divided into transfer supporters and opponents of transfer.”

“The disturbing fact is that while Smotrich is openly calling for deportation, opponents of the transfer are keeping quiet to please Naftali Bennett,” He added. “Talk now. Before it’s too late.”

Smotrich: Muslims who don’t agree Israel belongs to Jews, won’t remain here

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