Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has expressed regret over his controversial comments about Saudi Arabia, describing them as ‘unfortunate.’ In a video statement posted on X, Smotrich acknowledged the potential offense caused by his earlier remarks, in which he suggested that Saudi Arabia could ‘keep riding camels’ if it demanded an independent Palestinian state as a condition for normalizing relations with Israel. However, he also emphasized that he expects Saudi Arabia to refrain from offending Israel in return. Smotrich, a staunch advocate for annexing the occupied West Bank, reiterated his belief in Israel’s deep historical connection to the region, referring to it by its biblical names, Judea and Samaria. His comments sparked widespread criticism within Israel, with opposition leader Yair Lapid condemning the remarks and asserting that Smotrich does not represent the state. Former defense minister Benny Gantz also criticized Smotrich, accusing him of ignorance and a failure to understand his responsibilities as a senior government official. Saudi Arabia’s normalization talks with Israel, which were frozen following Hamas’s October 2023 attack and the subsequent Gaza war, remain a contentious issue in the region. The UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco normalized relations with Israel in 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords, but Saudi Arabia has yet to follow suit.