Israeli Minister Apologizes for Controversial "Keep Riding Camels" Remark to Saudi Arabia Amid Stalled Normalization Talks

Saudi Arabia's normalization discussions with Israel were suspended following Hamas's attack that triggered the Gaza conflict.

On Thursday, Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich expressed remorse for what he described as "unfortunate" comments about Saudi Arabia.

Previously, he had told Saudi Arabia they could "keep riding camels" if they attempted to demand an independent Palestinian state in exchange for normalizing relations with Israel.

"My statement regarding Saudi Arabia was unfortunate, and I regret any offence it may have caused," Smotrich stated in a video message posted on X.

However, he added that he expected reciprocal respect from the Saudis.

"I'm also not willing to accept hypocrisy. Just as I don't intend to offend the Saudis, I expect from them not to offend me, or rather, offend us," he declared.

"And anyone who denies the living and very deep connection we have to the regions of our homeland in Judea and Samaria, offends us," he continued, using the Israeli Biblical term for the occupied West Bank.

Smotrich, a resident of a West Bank settlement, is a vocal advocate for annexing the Palestinian territory, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967.

Earlier that day, he had told a conference in Israel that, "if Saudi Arabia tells us normalization in exchange for a Palestinian state, friends, no thank you".

"Keep riding camels on the sand in the Saudi desert; we'll keep truly developing -- with an economy, a society, a state and all the great and wonderful things we know how to do", Smotrich remarked, prompting strong reactions in Israel.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid quickly condemned the comments.

"To our friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, Smotrich does not represent the State of Israel", Lapid posted on X in Arabic, later calling for an apology.

Former defense minister Benny Gantz, another opposition figure, stated that Smotrich's comments "indicate ignorance, and a lack of internalization of his responsibility as a senior minister in the government and cabinet".

The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco normalized relations with Israel in 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords.

However, Saudi Arabia's own normalization talks with Israel were halted after Hamas's October 2023 attack ignited the Gaza war.