اللقاء باللغة الانجليزية/السفير الفلسطيني في الدنمارك مانويل حساسيان يقول: اسرائيل تتحمل المسؤولية الكاملة بنفسها

“We have been under occupation for over 56 years and we have suffered excruciatingly for years our people have been killed, displaced by Israel’s settlers, our homes had been destroyed and they have desecrated our religious places,’ he says.
It is the first time that the Palestinian ambassador has given an in-depth interview since the outbreak of the war.
On Saturday, Israel woke up to a historic attack by the terrorist-listed Palestinian group Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since an election in 2006.
“It was not a surprise to see a new wave of violence in response to what Israel has done to the Palestinians by virtue of being an occupying power,” says Manuel Hassassin.
The ambassador represents the Palestinian Authority, which emerged from the Oslo Accords from the 1990s between Israel and the PLO. The agreements were intended to secure peace between Israel and Palestine and fulfill the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
In 2013, the then government in Denmark decided that the Palestinian Authority should have a diplomatic mission.
Manuel Hassassian does not represent Hamas, which was behind the attack on Saturday, but says that the attack was a “reaction to the occupation and the suffering of the Palestinian people”.
Do you condemn the actions of the weekend?
” You’re not going to be able to extract that from me. I am Palestinian and I live under occupation. I see what Israel has done to my people. No one is asking them to condemn what they have done,’ he says.
I see videos online of Hamas soldiers killing civilians. Will you condemn it?

I can also send videos of occupiers killing children and women. For 56 years Palestinians have been killed by Israelis. How many thousands of Palestinians have been killed?’ he says and adds:
“Hamas who is taken its responsibilities for their actions, not me who is advocating for peace and political support from the international community. I am begging the international community – and your government – for a two-state solution. If I supported Hamas, I wouldn’t go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ask it to intervene and get humanitarian assistance.’
So you don’t approve of Hamas’s actions?
“Hamas is on different political wavelengths. We disagree ideologically. But when it comes to the occupation, we are one.’
You are fighting for the same thing, but in different ways. You go to politicians. Hamas attacks civilians. Is Hamas’ way of fighting wrong?
“You won’t get an answer from me on this.”
The hope for a two-state solution
Do you think that Israel has a share of responsibility for what has happened?
” Israel bears full responsibility for what has happened. They have asunder their occupation for 56 years. They are killing and maiming us. Mutilating us. They have been building settlements all over the West Bank. This is a reaction to that oppression. We have been promised a two-state solution by the international community since the Oslo Accords. Nothing happened so far after 30 years.’
You say that Israel is responsible for the attacks on Saturday. Do you also think Hamas is responsible for the attacks happening in Gaza right now?
“Why do you equate the occupied with the occupying power? You can not do that. They are not equal,’ says the ambassador.
“This is not the first time that Israel has attacked Gaza. 1000 are killed on the Palestinian side and no one talks about them. They are in their houses and they are being bombed. You only talk about

Hamas. I don’t care about Hamas. We Palestinians have the right to end this occupation, we are
under occupation by Israel. We need a two-state solution. Then violence is no longer necessary.’
Do you think the Palestinians risk the international community turning their backs on them after the attack?
“They have turned their backs on us for 70 years. What is new? Maybe it will get worse until they see what Israel has done to our people and that the occupation cannot continue.’
Do you think it will be more difficult to create a two-state solution after the weekend’s attacks?
“I think the opposite. I think this situation, this carnage and killing on both sides, will advance the process for the EU and the US. Instead of the world community just watching. This will make the world community, led by the United States, understand that it cannot oppress the Palestinian people for another 100 years.’
A special social media video
We see demonstrations in the Danish streets right now. When Danes see those pictures, they wonder; They see videos of Israeli civilians being killed. Next they see demonstrations and happy Palestinians. Is it sending the wrong signal?
“Let me explain it. On Sunday we had a big demonstration, and there were many Danes who supported us. They don’t celebrate. We have not liberated Palestine, there is nothing to celebrate. I was there and I saw the people. They prayed for the killing of the people of Gaza to stop. They didn’t dance.’

There is also a video on social media where Palestinians remove flowers from the Israeli embassy in Denmark, which have been laid in sympathy with those killed?
“I haven’t seen it and nobody told me about it? If it has happened, it is not okay. They shouldn’t do that.’
The Danish government has said that it will put aid to Palestine on hold. What is your reaction to that?
“The government is not stopping humanitarian aid, but they are looking at development aid and support for the Palestinian authorities. It’s okay, it’s their right to check whether the money goes to the right purpose.’
Are you worried that some countries will stop financial support?
“It’s a natural reaction. But there are also many countries that say the opposite and that do not want to stop the support.’
Some parties in the Danish Parliament will stop all support for Palestine. What consequences will this have?
“We have other sources of food and financial support. It is a problem that can be solved. We will not be beggars. We have many people and countries behind Palestine. The EU has been donating money for many years, why should they

السفير الفلسطيني في الدنمارك مانويل حساسيان يقول: اسرائيل تتحمل المسؤولية الكاملة بنفسها