Israeli officials deny existence of Palestinian people

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has criticized Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for denying the existence of the Palestinian people, calling it evidence of the "racist ideology" governing Israel. Smotrich had claimed that the Palestinian people were "an invention" from the last century. Shtayyeh responded by saying that the Palestinian people have a long history tied to the land, and that Israel is a colonial state established by settlers. Smotrich has a history of making inflammatory statements against Palestinians, Arab citizens of Israel, non-Orthodox Jews, and the LGBTQ community.