Thousands of Americans signed on Saturday morning, March 4, 2023, a petition calling on the US administration to impose a ban on Smotrich’s entry to the nation.

The Adalah Justice Project organized the petition and addressed the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, calling for banning the Israeli Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the US.

About 5000 Americans signed the petition to cancel Smotrich’s scheduled trip in March “because of his statements that call for violence and atrocities against the Palestinian people.”

“This is a clear call for genocide,” the petition read, calling on Blinken to do more than condemn Smotrich’s statements.

“I think the village of Huwara needs to be wiped out. I think the state of Israel should do it,” Smotrich was quoted as saying by Israeli media following the Israeli settlers’ attacks on Huwara.

He made his speech one day after Israeli settlers attacked Huwara town. They killed a Palestinian man and injured 400 others. The settlers also set fire to dozens of Palestinian homes and vehicles.

Smotrich remarks sparked Arab and International anger. The US, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and several organizations condemned his comments.

Earlier on Saturday, a joint statement by France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom strongly condemn indiscriminate violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians.