Ambassador Husam Zomlot, the head of the Palestinian Mission to the UK, who came to the fore with his outbursts on Western televisions such as CNN and BBC after Israel’s attacks on Gaza, spoke to Harici. Evaluating Netanyahu’s plans for Gaza, the Ambassador said, “Gaza is an integral part of the Palestinian state.”
Answering the questions of journalist Esra Karahindiba on behalf of Harici, Husam Zomlot made evaluations on the political situation in Gaza after the war, the support of Arab and Muslim countries to Palestine and Türkiye’s stance on the issue.
‘PLO is the sole legitimate representative of all the Palestinian people’
First of all, I have a question about the representation of Palestine. Wherever you go as the diplomatic representative of Palestine Liberation Organization, whichever TV channel you show up, you have to reply to the acts of Hamas, too. Because people are asking you the acts of Hamas and you are in a position to defend your side any way. How do you explain your position to your interlocuters?
The things are very clear. We represent the Palestinian people, all of them, because we represent the PLO. PLO is the sole legitimate representative of all the Palestinian people. It has it’s legitimacy from all the Palestinian fabric. It has historic legitimacy. It has democratic legitimacy. And it is recognized as the sole legitimate representative of Palestinian people in the region. And it is recognized internationally. So we have the PLO office in London. And we used to have the PLO office in Washington. Therefore, there is no problem about representing the Palestinian people. Palestinian people are united. They are united by the fact that our oppressor is one. They are united by the fact that our flag is one. They are united by the fact that our goal to liberate our land is one. So, the issue between the political factions has nothing to do with our representation. We represent the Palestinian people.
The most important question is the future of Gaza. The US wants the Palestinian authority to govern Gaza after the war. But Netanyahu government refuses that. According to Israeli perception, Israeli Defence Forces will not leave Gaza even after the war. What will be the future Gaza if the US sports Israeli occupation of Gaza? What is your plan B?
The official Israeli approach is that they will not return Gaza to PLO. This is part of their agenda. They don’t want to allow free Palestine to emerge. And Netanyahu is very public about it. He is the one who prevented the creation of the state of Palestine. His plan is very clear. He thinks that if the Palestinian geography and Palestinian political system are unified, that will forcibly bring back the idea of a Palestinian state and he does not want that. I think Netanyahu means what he says. He would want to prevent the Palestinian national institutions and Palestinian unity from happening.
But still, you don’t have a clear image of Gaza after the war. What is your plan B?
There is only one plan and that is the plan of Palestinian people. And that plan is about Gaza and Palestinian leadership. Gaza is an integral part of the Palestine state. Palestinians in Gaza are integral fabric of our nation. Therefore, there are no partial solutions in Gaza. There are no military solutions in Gaza. And Gaza can only be part of the state of Palestine. A comprehensive solution which brings Gaza together with the West Bank and Jerusalem is the capital of our liberate land.
In Türkiye, President Erdoğan talks very harsh against Netanyahu, yet, there are some criticism that Türkiye continues its relations and international trade with Israel. Some Turkish people are boycotting the Israeli goods. Do you think the supporters of Palestine should cut the relationship with Israel? Is boycotting Israel something expected by Palestine?
I don’t know the details of the situation between Türkiye and Israel right now. But I know that Türkiye is a regional power and an international power as being part of NATO, close to Europe, close to the region. Türkiye is a key global actor. Therefore Türkiye’s policy should be based on the responsibility to make sure that there are regional peace and regional stability besides the implementation of international law and international resolutions. This is not being pro-Palestine or pro-Israel or anti-this or anti-that. This is about the implementation of international policy. Not every time Türkiye comes along with the international resolutions, Türkiye is being against Israel. No. Every country should take a very firm stance. This is a responsibility. This is not an exceptional situation. The responsibility of every country is to make sure that international is not violated, to make sure that arms do not end up with the violation of international law, to make sure that international trade does not encourage the status-quo which is the occupation and the oppression of Palestinian people. So, Türkiye would be meeting it’s responsibility as an actor in the international system.
Do you think your supporters should boycott Israel?
Well, the people of the world have been showing great solidarity everywhere. And protest is their right. Boycott is their right. It’s a legitimate right. Using all means, legitimate means to mark Israel’s illegality including boycotting illegal settlement products, making sure that illegal settlers do not have a pass to their countries, making sure that arms are not ending up being used by Israel to kill our children and our civilians… These are responsibility of the people of the world including the Turkish people.
Is there any incident that you asked any type of support from Arab countries and you did not receive it In return?
At least we have a united Arab and Muslim position now. After the Arab-Islamic summit, there is a delegation including the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Palestinian Foreign Minister and many from the region such as Saudi and Egyptian etc. And we have a united position. The number one thing is an immediate and permanent ceasefire. That is the position of the region. Number two is the need for huge humanitarian assistance and corridors. No to any plans of ethnic cleansing and displacement. No to Israel’s taking any area of Gaza. And yes to a comprehensive political momentum.
