US supermodel Bella Hadid has entered a disagreement with Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, over his recent comments regarding Palestinians residing in the occupied West Bank.
In an interview with N12 News, Ben-Gvir expressed his perspective that the safety and freedom of movement for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank should take precedence over those of Palestinians. This viewpoint stands in contrast to the consistent opposition by the Palestinian population against travel restrictions imposed by Israel in the West Bank. These restrictions encompass checkpoints and other measures and are situated within a region where Palestinians hold partial self-governance.
Ben-Gvir, residing in the Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba near Hebron, asserted that these measures are essential for ensuring his family’s security. He emphasized, “The ability of my family, including my spouse and children, to travel through Judea and Samaria is more important than the mobility rights of Arab residents,” referring to the West Bank by its historical Hebrew name.
Bella Hadid, aged 26, who has Palestinian roots and has advocated ardently for Palestinian rights, voiced her critique of Ben-Gvir’s stance on Instagram, where she boasts nearly 60 million followers. In a post shared on Thursday, she conveyed, “In no circumstance, at no time, especially in 2023, should one life be considered more valuable than another’s, particularly based on their ethnicity, culture, or baseless hostility.”
In response, Ben-Gvir released a statement on Friday labeling Hadid as an “opponent of Israel.” He alleged that she selectively shared a portion of the interview on her social media, unfairly depicting him as intolerant.
Subsequently, Ben-Gvir appeared to reinforce his position, stating, “I not only stand by my words, I reiterate them: our right to return home in safety, to move around Judea and Samaria without facing harm, supersedes the freedom of movement for residents of the Palestinian Authority.”
The Palestinian foreign ministry criticized Ben-Gvir’s statements, describing them as “repugnant and prejudiced.” They asserted that these remarks further accentuate Israel’s alleged system of apartheid and Jewish dominance, a claim that Israel vehemently denies.
In reaction to the minister’s statements, left-wing activists staged protests outside Ben-Gvir’s residence on Friday. These demonstrations were in response to the Israeli government’s ongoing attempts to reform the judiciary system. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has initiated changes that would curtail the authority of the Supreme Court, sparking widespread protests across the country.
The West Bank has experienced a surge in violence over the past 15 months, characterized by frequent Israeli military actions, Palestinian street altercations, and instances of settler attacks on Palestinian communities. Since January, this escalation has resulted in the deaths of at least 188 Palestinians and 35 individuals in Israel.
Ben-Gvir, a member of Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition, has a history of convictions linked to supporting terrorism and anti-Arab rhetoric. While he claims that his views have evolved since entering the government, specific details haven’t been provided.
Israel’s control over the West Bank dates back to the 1967 Middle East conflict. Although the majority of nations, including the United Nations, deem this control illegal, Israel continues to expand settlements, a stance that it disputes.
