​​Department of State: Don’t let Smotrich fundraise for genocide.

SECRETARY OF STATE TONY BLINKEN

The US State Department needs to go farther than simply condemning Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for his genocidal language. The US State Department should revoke his visa immediately and deny him entry.

Two days ago mobs of settlers set ablaze and terrorized the Palestinians villages of Huwara, Burin, and Za’atara. Only a week has passed since Israeli occupying forces committed a massacre in Nablus, killing 11 Palestinians and injuring over 100 in broad daylight in a busy market.

And today, the Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich said, “The [Palestinian] village of Huwara should be wiped out...I think that the State of Israel needs to do that - not...private individuals.”

This is a clear, unabashed call for genocide. And it makes clear once again that while they may disagree on the methods, both Israeli politicians and the settlers we saw burning down homes agree on the goal.

In just two weeks, Smotrich is traveling to Washington, DC to speak at the Israel Bonds conference and raise money for his genocidal project.

Will you sign our petition demanding the US State Department block Smotrich’s travel to the U.S.?

Huwara is a lifeline to many Palestinians in neighboring villages. Smotrich’s words are incitement of violence against tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Smotrich is clearly inciting atrocities against the Palestinian people, and he should not be allowed to come to the U.S. to raise funds to support his racist ideology.

It is fully within the power of the State Department to revoke Smotrich’s visa immediately and deny him entry.

According to Haaretz, "human rights activists have long argued that Smotrich should be added to the U.S. sanctions list in accordance with the 2016 Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, a law intended to punish people around the world who are credibly accused of serious human rights violations by barring entry to the U.S. and the blocking of property."

But the State Department won’t take action unless they hear from us. They have already condemned, but by acting together we can pressure them to take the next step and block him from spreading more hate here. We can not afford to enable someone with this dark agenda, unafraid to state it this plainly. We must show that there are consequences.

Act today and pressure the State Department to finally stop legitimizing genocidal rhetoric coming from the Israeli government. That starts by banning Bezalel Smotrich.

To: SECRETARY OF STATE TONY BLINKEN
From: [Your Name]

The United States must ban the travel of Israel's Bezalel Smotrich to the United States in March 2023 because of his statements that call for violence and atrocities against the Palestinian people.

On March 1, Smotrich told Israeli television, “The [Palestinian] village of Huwara should be wiped out.. I think that the State of Israel needs to do that - not..private individuals.”

This is a clear call for genocide.

On February 26, 2023, Israeli settlers stormed and attacked the Palestinian villages of Hawara, Burin, Zaatara, and Asira al-Qabaliyya. The armed settlers burned and damaged houses, vehicles and shops, injured hundreds of civilians and shot and killed Sameh Aqtash in his home in Zaatara. Prior to the the attacks, Smotrich "liked" a tweet posted by settler leader Davidi Ben Zion, who said the town of Huwara should be "erased."

We call on you to do more than condemn Smotrich’s statements, but to also take away his platform in the United States to continue to spread hatred and fundraise for his anti-Palestinian agenda.