‘No!’ Palestinian Ambassador Repeatedly Declines To Condemn Hamas Terror Attack On Israel

Head of the Palestinian Mission to the UK Husam Zomlot on Sunday repeatedly refused the opportunity to condemn the Hamas terror attack on Israel under grilling from Margaret Brennan, though he was swift to decry Israel’s military response.

On the latest Face the Nation on CBS, Brennan spoke with Palestinian diplomat Zomlot about the Israel-Hamas War after first interviewing Biden admin Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer and Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog.

Brennan had asked Zomlot earlier in the interview about Secretary Antony Blinken’s meeting with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, and the diplomat responded by saying that the U.S. focus on humanitarian “pauses” rather than demanding Israel impose a ceasefire on itself is “dangerous,” and mocked the concept despite the fact that it could result in the release of hundreds of civilians taken hostage by terror group Hamas in the heinous October 7 attack.

On the subject of that attack, Brennan then asked Zomlot if he would like to “clear the air and clearly condemn” that bloodiest day for Jews since the Holocaust.

“No,” answered Zomlot, adding that he wanted to “clear the record” and specifying his role and the authorities of the Palestinian Authority and the PLO as they pertain to that role, and that the role of the United States in the conflict should be as “peacemaker.”

Brennan asked again about the Hamas attack, saying, “Do you want to clear the air and condemn it?”

Zomlot instead of answering with a condemnation demanded the United States “de-designate” the PLO as a terrorist organization.

When Brennan asked a third time, Zomlot deflected again.

On her fourth attempt, Brennan simply pointed out “on that specific condemnation it would just be a very quick answer.”

Again, Zomlot specifically answered, “No.”

Zomlot wrapped up by decrying civilian deaths in Gaza but without doing so for the deaths that occurred in the October 7 terror attack, during which hundreds of Israeli and international civilians were kidnapped and tortured, civilian homes were invaded and civilian families slaughtered, and a civilian musical festival was turned into a killing field.

BRENNAN: Understood, but I want – I’m asking about – about your – let me ask you, though, about your government because there is a serious conversation being had by American diplomats about the Palestinian Authority taking on a role of governing in Gaza as well.

So, talk to me about that because we just heard, you know, that you have a financial problem right now, in part because the Israeli government is withholding some of the tax revenues and claiming they’re doing it because Palestinian Authority hasn’t condemned Hamas adequately in those October 7th attacks. So, do you want to clear the air and clearly condemn the attack in (ph) Hamas today?

ZOMLOT: No. I want to clear the record. First of all, the Palestinian authority is not what represents the Palestinian people. It’s the PLO. It’s the Palestine Liberation Organization. I represented the PLO in Washington. Now I represent the PLO in – in – in London. The PA does not have external arms. The sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people is the PLO.

Number two, let me clarify another matter. It’s the state of Palestine that will take over and protect its peoples and the West Bank in Jerusalem and in Gaza once the Palestinian occupied territory is liberated.

Number three, it is the opportunity for the U.S. to be the peacemaker. Number one, the leaders have made – leaders have made – let me – let me – leaders have made – leaders have made the PLO –

BRENNAN: I’m sure you’re concerned about that tax revenue, though? Do you want to clear the air and condemn it?

ZOMLOT: De-designate the PLO from the terrorist list in the U.S. Congress. He – your secretary of state just shake the hand of the – of the head of the president of the PLO after 30 years of signing the Oslo Accords, after 30 years of committing to international law and negotiations, the U.S. should do that. The U.S. should recognize the state of Palestine and allow us to be a full member in the U.N. And the U.S. must immediately stop voting – vetoing, sorry, our attempts at accountability (INAUDIBLE).

BRENNAN: Yes. These are decades worth of problems.

ZOMLOT: This will bring – this will bring – this – this will bring an

BRENNAN: These are decades worth of problems. I’m just asking about this one specific issue on October 7th and the tax revenue.

ZOMLOT: No, no, no, not decades. Not decades. Not – not – not – not decades. No. It’s the result of us not really focusing on the root cause. This is the moment of the U.S. to play the role of the global – the global – the –

BRENNAN: I understand there are deep root causes, but on that specific condemnation it would just be a very quick answer.

ZOMLOT: No. And allow me, Margaret, because I watch your interview with Israeli ambassador, and he said two things. Very important. He said, you know, those are unintended consequences, the 10,000 innocent people, the almost 5,000 children. I want to also clear the record here. This is deliberate and this has been the Israeli military doctrine since its establishment. Hitting the civilians so they put pressure on the fighters from the time of the (INAUDIBLE), 1948 –

BRENNAN: Yes.

ZOMLOT: And pushing out, ethnically cleansing two-thirds of the nation to Beirut and sub-Russia (ph) and (INAUDIBLE).

BRENNAN: I understand.

ZOMLOT: To Gaza and everywhere. This is a military doctrine.

BRENNAN: OK.

ZOMLOT: Number two, he – Israel commits to international law. If they commit to international law, this is not a war. A war does not happen between an occupied and an occupier.

BRENNAN: Yes.

ZOMLOT: This is an oppression – an oppression of our people. Wars only happen between two sovereign states.

BRENNAN: OK. Well, Ambassador –

ZOMLOT: So, this is a moment when you empower the state of Palestine that will be able to protect its people, Margaret.

BRENNAN: OK. We have to leave the conversation there, but it’s very clear that it’s really the United States talking about a peace settlement, two state solutions, and you did not clearly condemn that.

So, Ambassador, thank you for sharing the Palestinian point of view. We have to leave it there. Thank you.

Watch the clip above, via Face the Nation from CBS News.