Israeli National Security Minister: A Cabinet That Should Stop Aid Trucks From Gaza, Not Protesters
JAKARTA - Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir criticized the violent attacks carried out by extremist settlers against trucks carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
But on the other hand, he indicated he agreed with the protesters' demands that the aid not be delivered to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, as long as the militant group is still holding Israelis hostage.
"We are in a democratic country and I support freedom of protest. They are allowed to demonstrate," he said in an interview with Army Radio, reported by The Times of Israel May 20.
"I oppose them attacking and burning trucks," he said, adding he said. "It wasbinet that should have stopped the trucks."
The right-wing minister's comments came after activists attacked a truck in the central West Bank and attacked its driver last weekend, thinking the truck was delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Such attacks in the West Bank began mostly last month, when Israel agreed to expand its aid route from Jordan to ensure more aid entered Gaza.
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The far-right group Tzav 9 has led many similar protests in the West Bank and within the Israeli territory, which aims to block aid trucks from reaching Gaza.
Earlier, two US officials told The Times of Israel late Thursday that President Joe Biden's Administration was considering imposing sanctions on Israeli extremists involved in a series of recent attacks on humanitarian aid convoys.