Paris/PNN / 

France strongly denounced today the recent racist remarks by hard-right Israeli Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, in which he called for the Palestinian village of Huwara to be wiped out.

"We were appalled by the Israeli minister's statements regarding the Palestinian village of Huwara. These statements are unacceptable and irresponsible," French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre told reporters.

She stressed that these statements will only lead to an increase in "hatred and the current spiral of violence," calling on the Israeli government, in accordance with its international obligations as an occupying power, to protect Palestinian civilians and prosecute the perpetrators.