In a snub, US does not invite Israel’s Ben-Gvir, Smotrich to July 4 reception

The US Embassy in Israel declined to invite Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to the US Independence Day reception on July 3 in another snub from the Biden administration. Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have both made hateful remarks against the Palestinians since they came to office in December.

Haaretz reported on Monday that both ministers were left out despite their important portfolios. The embassy also invited no ministers or regular Knesset members from Ben-Gvir’s far-right Jewish Power party, Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionism party or the Noam Knesset faction headed by Avi Maoz.

Several other ministers such as Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat were invited to the reception, which is traditionally considered the most prestigious diplomatic event of the year. The embassy also invited several Knesset members. Among the personalities invited were Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, opposition leader Yair Lapid, head of the National Camp Benny Gantz, Labor head Merav Michaeli and Israel Beitenu's Avigdor Liberman. 

A US official told Haaretz, “The guest list for the embassy’s 2023 Independence Day event includes people with whom the embassy has a close working relationship. Security concerns preclude us from publicly sharing the guest list for this event or any logistical details.”

Washington has declined any direct contact with Ben-Gvir or with Smotrich since their appointments six months ago. Ben-Gvir ascended the Temple Mount in January and on March 1, Smotrich remarked that Israel should “wipe out” the West Bank Palestinian town of Huwara. 

Following the ordeal, Washington did not immediately grant Smotrich a visa for an event in the United States as American Jewish organizations called for preventing the far-right minister from entering the country. After Smotrich backtracked on his comment, the US embassy agreed to offer him a visa. Still, the White House made it clear that neither US Treasury Secretary Jen Yellen nor any other government official will meet with him in Washington.

Smotrich traveled to Paris shortly thereafter on what was described as a personal trip March 20. French authorities told Al-Monitor that no French official would meet with him. While in Paris, Smotrich claimed in a speech that the Palestinian people did not exist, drawing strong condemnation from the French Foreign Ministry as well as the Americans the Jordanians and the Palestinians. 

Smotrich visited Paris again June 7, on the occasion of the annual finance ministers meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The minister told Al-Monitor that he was set to meet with the finance ministers of Peru and of Costa Rica at the conference. His associates affirmed that he was not going to meet with his American nor his French counterparts.  

When Israel sent Ben-Gvir as its representative to the European Union's Europe Day reception in May and Ben-Gvir stated his intentions to make a speech at the event, the EU canceled the entire event. Gantz commented that Israel making Ben-Gvir its envoy to such an occasion was "tantamount to a diplomatic attack and extreme lack of reason on the part of Netanyahu."

Contacted by Al-Monitor, the US embassy in Israel was not immediately available for comment.