Today, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the UN Security Council, discussing the failure of US leadership and laying out his proposal for a way forward.

Last week, in anticipation of Abbas’ UNSC address, FMEP was proud to host a conversation between the PLO Ambassador to the United States, Husam Zomlot, and FMEP non-resident fellow Peter Beinart. In this far-ranging conversation, Ambassador Zomlot lays out, with directness and candor, his views on the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, self-determination for both Jews and Palestinians, Hamas, elections, the future of security cooperation with Israel, the future of Jews (as distinct from settlers) in a future Palestinian state, Trump’s policy shift on Jerusalem, the Jewish connection to Jerusalem, and the status of the PLO mission in the United States.

Special thanks to the Arab American Institute (@AAIUSA) for they partnership

Video Timestamps [Questions: Peter Beinart. Answers: Amb. Husam Zomlot]

[00:36] Question on what the Palestinians see as the ideal solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

[02:29] Question on Palestinian recognition of Jewish self-determination.

[06:05] Question on the Palestinian Authority’s continued defense of the two-state solution despite the failure of the Oslo agreement.

[08:48] Question on whether the Palestinian national movement should strategically shift to a civil rights struggle under the premise of a one-state solution.

[13:27] Question on Hamas.

[16:03] Question on why the Palestinian Authority has not held national elections since 2006.

[19:12] Question on why the Palestinian Authority does not challenge Hamas to hold elections in Gaza and also hold elections in the West Ban (without Gaza or East Jerusalem voters).

[20:50] Question on how Hamas has moved closer to the national camp.

[22:12] Question on whether the Palestinian Authority should be disbanded.

[24:40] Comments on ending the Palestinian Authority’s security cooperation with Israel.

[25:40] Question on whether Israeli settlers (as opposed to Jews) will be allowed to live in a (future) Palestinian state.

[27:20] Comments the U.S. proclamation declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel.

[29:08] Comments on the Jewish connection to Jerusalem and question on Yasser Arafat’s statement denying that there was a Jewish temple in Jerusalem.

[32:00] Question on the status of the Palestinians’ diplomatic presence in the U.S.