The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Wednesday evening that it affirms the importance of the international community's efforts to hold Israel accountable for violating international legitimacy. The ministry expressed the Kingdom's condemnation and firm rejection of the extreme statements made by two ministers in the Israeli occupying government, who called for the displacement of Gaza's residents and the reoccupation of the sector, as well as the construction of settlements. The statement read: "The Kingdom emphasizes the importance of concerted international efforts to activate mechanisms for international accountability toward the Israeli occupying government's persistence, through its statements and actions, in violating the rules of international legitimacy and international humanitarian law."
For its part, the United States condemned the statements made by the Israeli ministers regarding the return of Jewish settlers to Gaza after the current war and the "encouragement" of Palestinian residents to migrate. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement that "the United States rejects the recent statements made by Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir calling for the resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza," describing them as "irresponsible." It is noteworthy that while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled discussions on the future of the Gaza Strip after the war last Thursday due to pressure from his coalition partners, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reverted to his controversial statements.
