Israel’s far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir has hit back at the US after the State Department strongly criticised his "inflammatory and irresponsible" calls for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza.
"I really admire the United States of America but with all due respect, we are not another star in the American flag," Ben Gvir tweeted, repeating the same phrase he has used to respond to criticism from Washington.
"The United States is our best friend, but before everything else, we will do what is good for the State of Israel: The emigration of hundreds of thousands from Gaza will allow [Israeli] residents [of the border area] to return home and live in security and protect IDF soldiers," the extreme-right minister added.
Despite being a strong ally of Israel's war on Gaza, Washington has taken Ben-Gvir and his fellow far-right Israeli cabinet minister Bezalel Smotrich to task for inflammatory comments, including a call for the genocide of Palestinians in the besieged enclave.
"We want to encourage willful emigration [of Palestinians from Gaza], and we need to find countries willing to take them in," Smotrich told Israel’s Channel 12 last Saturday.
On Monday, Ben-Gvir not only echoed Smotrich's comments but went further, saying that Israel should send Jewish settlers to repopulate the Palestinian territory.
"We cannot withdraw from any territory we are in in the Gaza Strip. Not only do I not rule out Jewish settlement there, I believe it is also an important thing," he told members of his extremist Jewish Power party.
He added that the war presents "an opportunity to concentrate on encouraging the migration of the residents of Gaza".
US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller issued a statement afterwards denouncing Ben-Gvir and Smotrich by name.
"The United States rejects recent statements from Israeli Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir advocating for the resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza. This rhetoric is inflammatory and irresponsible.
"We have been told repeatedly and consistently by the Government of Israel, including by the Prime Minister, that such statements do not reflect the policy of the Israeli government. They should stop immediately."
The back and forth between the US and Israel’s far-right coalition members comes as news emerged today that the Israeli government has been in contact with the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding expelling Palestinians from their homes in Gaza to the country.
This Gaza migration plan, which would amount to ethnic cleansing, has been signed off by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , appearing to contradict the US claim that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich’s comments do not reflect Israeli government policy.
Ben-Gvir was convicted of inciting racism and supporting a terrorist group in 2007 and has made calls for genocide against Palestinians in the past.