Ramallah / PNN /

 The Palestinian Presidency condemned statements made by Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, saying they constitute a direct call to target his life and the lives of other Palestinian leadership members.

In a statement, the Palestinian Presidency added that Ben-Gvir’s remarks represent an incitement to settlers to carry out further “terrorist” acts against the Palestinian people, their land, and their holy sites.

The statement called on the U.S. administration and the international community to pressure the Israeli government to halt its campaign of incitement against the Palestinian people and their leadership, noting that such a campaign would only lead to more violence, tension, and undermine the chances of success for the ongoing peace process.

Ben-Gvir had reportedly urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to respect the immunity of the Palestinian President, to arrest him, and to carry out targeted assassinations of senior Palestinian Authority leaders, particularly if the UN Security Council voted in favor of recognizing the State of Palestine.

Addressing journalists and directing his remarks to Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir said: “If they speed up recognition of this fabricated state, if the United Nations recognizes it, you should order targeted assassinations of senior Palestinian Authority officials, who are terrorists in every respect, and you should order the arrest of Abu Mazen,” referring to President Mahmoud Abbas.

He continued: “We have a cell ready for him in Ketziot Prison [in southern Israel], so he can be received under conditions similar to those experienced by all terrorists in prison. This people, called the Palestinian people, should not have a state”.