In a strongly worded statement on Thursday, Emirati billionaire Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, founding chairman of the Al Habtoor Group, criticized Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for his ‘racist and provocative’ remarks about Saudi Arabia. Smotrich, in a viral video, had mockingly suggested that Saudi Arabia should ‘keep riding camels’ if it demands an independent Palestinian state in exchange for normalizing relations with Israel. Although Smotrich later apologized, calling his comments ‘unfortunate,’ Al Habtoor dismissed the apology as insufficient to erase the magnitude of the insult. He emphasized that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, including Saudi Arabia, have achieved significant progress in energy, technology, and urban development, becoming global models of prosperity. Al Habtoor argued that Israel, not the Arab world, needs peace with its neighbors to secure its future. He called for a united Arab stance against such rhetoric, stating that dignity is a principle that must be defended through action, not just words. Opposition leaders in Israel, including Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, also condemned Smotrich’s comments, with Lapid asserting that Smotrich does not represent the State of Israel.
UAE billionaire slams ‘racist rhetoric’ of Israeli minister asking Saudi to ‘keep riding camels’
