The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has condemned “in the strongest terms” the remarks of Israel’s minister of finance for promoting the deepening of settlements.

“Ending the occupation and the Palestinian people’s attainment of their national rights is the only way to achieve security and stability on the Palestinian and Israeli sides,” a ministry statement said, according to Al Jazeera. 

“We call for the imposition of deterrent international sanctions on the leaders of the Israeli extreme right for boasting of violating international law and inciting violence.”

Bezalel Smotrich has promised to advocate for settlement activities in the occupied West Bank. The minister, who is also at the helm of the Israeli governing body that operates in the West Bank, has been pushing for the approval of thousands of more settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.