Trump diplomat says Israel has ‘biblical right’ to Plaestina
Trump’s initiatives and the new ambassador’s stance, during a hearing in the Senate, raised a warning signal among foreign diplomats, Brazilian representatives and the UN. In June, governments defending the Palestinian cause will convene a summit in New York to chart the course for the full recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state.
In a dialogue with the senators who will approve her name for the position, the future ambassador was asked whether she defended the idea of self-determination of the Palestinian people, an element guaranteed by international law and approved annually at the UN by a majority of countries, including Western ones.
At first, she didn’t respond.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen then asked whether she would agree with the view that, for peace to be established in the Middle East, human rights and the right to self-determination must be guaranteed “for both Palestinians and Israelis.” “That’s a yes or no answer, that’s all I ask,” he said.
She, once again, refused to talk about self-determination. “I defend human rights for everyone. And I think it’s a disgrace that Hamas and Hezbollah destroyed the rights of the Palestinians. Israel is defending human rights,” he said.
The senator insisted. “We agree with that, but I wanted to know if the Palestinians have the right to self-determination,” he asked.
