Western Standard - October 18, 2023


Piers Morgan clashes with Palestinian Ambassador


Episode Stats

Length

4 minutes

Words per Minute

210.33575

Word Count

852

Sentence Count

104

Hate Speech Sentences

6


Summary

On October 7th, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called on the Israeli government to condemn the attack that killed 1400 Israeli civilians in Gaza, but no one did so. Why does this happen? Why does the Palestinian leadership refuse to condemn it? What does this mean for peace in the region?


Transcript

00:00:00.000 Given that last night you wanted people to condemn what happened last night,
00:00:04.700 in your belief that it was an Israeli airstrike,
00:00:07.600 and you were ferocious in demanding that repeatedly,
00:00:10.440 will you now take the opportunity to condemn what Hamas did on October 7th?
00:00:15.160 Final, I'll only ask you one more time.
00:00:18.120 22 Arab states convened at the beginning of this,
00:00:21.680 including my state, my government, and they condemned...
00:00:24.720 Do you personally condemn it?
00:00:25.900 They condemned the killing of civilians from all sides.
00:00:28.540 You know what is...
00:00:29.480 Not all sides.
00:00:29.980 From all sides.
00:00:30.960 Do you condemn what happened on October 7th?
00:00:32.720 Yes, please.
00:00:33.720 Why are you so reluctant to condemn it?
00:00:34.900 You asked, you asked.
00:00:36.260 You were the one last night demanding people condemn things.
00:00:39.160 I'll tell you why.
00:00:39.720 I would be the first to condemn.
00:00:41.120 If I ever saw you asking an Israeli official to condemn,
00:00:44.700 did you ask the ambassador to condemn all the atrocities?
00:00:47.360 I will be asking...
00:00:48.140 I'll tell you.
00:00:48.700 I will be asking the representative of the ambassador tonight...
00:00:50.540 No, no, no, you had the ambassador before me.
00:00:52.240 You did not ask her to condemn anything.
00:00:54.460 Then you didn't watch the interview.
00:00:55.540 I did.
00:00:56.140 Yeah.
00:00:56.560 I did.
00:00:56.900 Let me ask you one more time.
00:00:58.920 I did.
00:00:59.380 Because I'm not sure if you heard my question.
00:01:00.700 I will not answer this question unless you allow me to explain.
00:01:03.340 No, no, that's fine.
00:01:04.260 You don't have to answer it.
00:01:05.100 No, no, no.
00:01:05.380 I'll tell you.
00:01:06.420 But if you're not going to answer it, don't demand that other people condemn things.
00:01:09.260 No, no, no, no.
00:01:09.800 And certainly don't ask me to condemn things.
00:01:11.440 Yes, yes.
00:01:11.960 If you won't condemn...
00:01:12.840 Our position.
00:01:13.280 ...1400 people being slaughtered.
00:01:15.100 You're going to talk over me.
00:01:15.520 Our position.
00:01:16.240 Our position.
00:01:16.680 How can you not condemn what they did?
00:01:18.080 Our position is very clear.
00:01:19.560 I represent the Palestinian leadership and people.
00:01:23.520 I represent the PLO.
00:01:24.660 That's the sole legitimate representation of the Palestinian people.
00:01:29.000 President Mahmoud Abbas, the government.
00:01:31.080 I know.
00:01:31.240 Hamas is not part...
00:01:32.440 I know.
00:01:32.840 ...of the government.
00:01:33.440 I know.
00:01:33.660 Okay, that's number one.
00:01:34.560 Number two, that legitimate representation I represent have committed for 30 years for
00:01:40.780 first nonviolence and negotiations.
00:01:42.800 I belong to that camp.
00:01:43.840 You're asking the wrong person.
00:01:46.300 Committed to international resolutions and committed to the recognition of Israel.
00:01:51.140 We recognize the state of Israel long before anyone else.
00:01:54.380 And we still waiting for Israel's recognition of us.
00:01:57.700 And guess what happened in this 30 years?
00:02:00.080 Every political avenue was blocked.
00:02:01.940 Every legal avenue like the ICJ and the ICC is blocked.
00:02:06.080 Every hope for any Palestinian is blocked.
00:02:08.680 You are talking to a person who religiously believe in nonviolence.
00:02:12.320 So please don't ask me that question.
00:02:13.780 If you believe in nonviolence, Ambassador, why are you reluctant?
00:02:16.660 I answer...
00:02:16.700 I answer...
00:02:17.620 If you believe in nonviolence...
00:02:18.180 I do.
00:02:18.760 That's why I picked diplomacy.
00:02:19.500 Why are you so reluctant to condemn the worst terror attack in 9-11?
00:02:23.000 Because I believe in the power of diplomacy.
00:02:26.660 I believe in the power of nonviolence.
00:02:27.980 I believe that we should always return and maintain the moral high ground.
00:02:31.600 But that's why I am answering the way I'm answering.
00:02:34.160 Okay, I understand.
00:02:34.640 That's why I'm challenging you.
00:02:36.140 Okay, I understand.
00:02:36.900 Because the moment I accept your question is the moment I accept we are the instigators
00:02:41.340 of violence.
00:02:42.260 We are the aggressors.
00:02:43.360 And I asked you the question before...
00:02:44.540 She didn't say that.
00:02:45.360 No, no, no.
00:02:45.960 I didn't say that to you.
00:02:47.160 I understand you're not part of Hamas.
00:02:49.160 No, no, no, no.
00:02:49.740 Not me.
00:02:50.240 Not me only.
00:02:51.020 I understand you're...
00:02:51.800 The Palestinian people are the instigators of violence.
00:02:53.420 I understand you're not...
00:02:54.360 The question...
00:02:55.200 I understand you're not Hamas.
00:02:56.360 Let me explain, Pierce.
00:02:57.440 Please.
00:02:57.880 But I understand it.
00:02:58.780 Cool down.
00:02:59.320 Cool down.
00:02:59.860 The moment I accept this logic of condemnation and the lack of Israeli officials being asked
00:03:04.760 by you and everybody else to condemn, that moment I accept that my people are lesser of
00:03:10.600 a people, that we are not equal, that we are lesser of a, you know, children of a God.
00:03:15.820 And I don't believe that.
00:03:16.660 Okay, no, I think you do.
00:03:17.720 And I think, I think, no, I think Palestinian people are absolutely entitled to fairness and
00:03:22.400 equality and human rights, many of the things they've been deprived of for decades.
00:03:26.680 I would love to see peace in the Middle East, but nobody can show me how what Hamas did
00:03:31.560 on October the 7th has done anything for the Palestinian people other than set everything
00:03:36.000 back and make peace even more unlikely.
00:03:38.120 The moment I see that equity, that balance, I'll be the first to use any word you want.
00:03:44.120 But so long as there is this imbalance, this racism against Palestinians, this consideration
00:03:49.480 of us, of being, you know, one-fifth...
00:03:52.580 But I'm not racist against Palestinians.
00:03:54.160 No, no, I think there are people who are racist.
00:03:56.000 I think anti-Palestinianism is flourishing everywhere.
00:03:58.200 I think we are seen as to be less of value than the Israeli lives.
00:04:02.760 I mean...