Smotrich: No Palestinian state in exchange for Saudi normalization

Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday that Palestinian statehood will not be on the table in negotiations with Saudi Arabia over a deal to normalize relations with the Kingdom.

While he noted that a deal is "in the interest of everyone" and that Israel is "ready to give a lot to the Saudis," he said that there will be "no concessions" on the West Bank. 

"This is just a fantasy...it will not happen. Palestinians will not get anything," he added.

Smotrich also hit back against the Biden administration over its criticism of settler construction in the occupied West Bank. 

In an interview with Israeli Army Radio, Smotrich called the U.S. "hypocritical."

"I don't want to talk about the Americans and how they behaved in Afghanistan and Iraq.. but they should not preach to us about human rights," he said.