You're watching...
Richard Grenell on the history of Hamas and what needs to happen next for a resolution to be possible
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
And I think we're gonna -- -- I get a little more information about the negotiations in the trees and be brokered cease fire that apparently is coming out of the talks in Cairo.
We're gonna Richard -- renowned as a former spokesperson for the last forces ambassadors to be you and to give us an idea of what has happened now acts.
In Cairo do we have a brokered cease fire and will -- hold Richard what do you think.
Well let's certainly hope so I think nobody really knows is the real answer but this is that a test for the Egyptian president.
The new Egyptian president and and I think so far.
He's showing that he knows how to.
To honor the past.
Agreements with Israel and he's moving towards trying to come up with a cease fire I think.
In the Turkish.
Leader mr.
-- -- -- and has also been crucial in trying to bring about some sort of pressure on Hamas to say why are you doing mess and let's try to have a peace agreement you know hopefully -- that we have.
-- conversation of the moderates within the Arab community and and within Palestine to say.
Why are we allowing Hamas which is a terrorist organization.
By US standards by.
European Union standards by the Japanese standards why are we allowing Hamas to be a part of this government if they're going to.
Move us towards.
This type of violence I mean clearly what we're seen.
On the ground is that Hamas has has really experienced.
An incredible amount of destruction.
And -- and killing of its own people.
And so I'm not sure that when this cease fire takes hold hopefully it will and everything calms down that -- those in Palestine are gonna look at their leaders.
The Hamas leaders that and say this was worth that I I think we're getting to the point where Palestinians are frustrated.
And hopefully both sides will be able to say we've got look forward and begin talking about a resolution because we cannot have this pattern.
Of wars and destruction.
You know constantly.
What the Palestinian Authority what about Mahmoud Abbas is he's kind of totally out of this sort of emasculated sort of -- is he becomes so innocuous in this discussion.
We we it's almost as if we've got to Palestinian.
Authorities here.
Yeah that's exactly the case is that we really do have two different leaders won in Gaza.
And one in the west bank and so what what you're you've seen is Abbas is just unable to control Hamas we've we've seen this developing for years.
And Hamas is doing its own thing again I think that the Palestinians themselves are gonna -- did begin to say.
We cannot have Hamas and leadership they clearly are not demonstrating that they care about the people.
And they're not interest in peace and when you don't have a partner in peace.
It's clear that we're gonna have constant destruction.
There's just.
At this point.
The moderates and those in Palestine need to be able to speak up and say.
We don't want Hamas as part of our leadership anymore.
The clear and it's not the case and how does the U west.
Then deal with or trend on this sort of difficult diplomatic mission because obviously the president said Israel has a right to defend itself so so far it's down a bit.
You know proper sort of diplomatic line here.
But Hamas is becoming much more vocal and much more powerful they are -- ideologically aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood.
-- well how does this play out for the US.
Well I I think that we've seen the US really be pushed to the sidelines in this whole.
Problem in crisis one problem that we have is that.
The president has not President Obama has not been able to really articulate.
Why -- we want to see Hamas.
Not a part of the Palestinian government.
Why we don't recognize that this is really just a proxy war with Iran.
Why we don't recognize that Lebanon is having problems with Hezbollah and this all stems back to not being tough enough on Iran.
We need to be able to stand up and articulate a message of why the Palestinian government shouldn't be.
Shouldn't welcome Hamas that is one of the US.
Priorities and we just don't see that from the administration we see an administration.
That is trying to defend Israel but yet not willing to call out Hamas enough.
You know I want to get you back here plant on Iran because -- -- -- very very important to fighting a proxy war with Iran.
Is the issue really Iran and all of these other.
Conflicts in the Hamas.
In Gaza and then in love are they sort of brush fires in an ultimate battle we're having with Iran.
It is no question that that the more we talk about.
You know helping the opposition in Syria or refugees home poring over the border from Syria and Turkey.
Or the bombings in Beirut or now this problem.
Between the Israelis and the Palestinians are really the Israelis and Hamas let's be clear the more we talk about those side issues.
The more the -- Ronnie ends are able to continue spinning.
There there is centrifuges we really -- need to focus on one of the problems which is Iran.
-- hell bent on trying to get a nuclear weapon which will completely change the entire region.
If that happens you'll see Saudi Arabia and and I would that Turkey and others.
Begin to say what we want one -- and then the entire region is is in a shift cell we need to be able to recognize that there are.
Five resolutions.
-- UN resolutions against Iran.
That they -- international community has demanded that they stop enriching uranium.
Any uranium.
And that that should be our focus is that until Iran can answer these questions as to why they are higher.
-- -- -- Certain.
Grades of uranium.
Why -- why they are doing that when they claim that it's for peaceful purposes.
Until they answer those questions we have to be able to say as an international community.
That the problem is with Iran.
You know one must thing about Abbas.
Apparently he is preparing to go to the UN general assembly in November 20 ninth.
To upgrade to try to upgrade the Palestinian status to that of non member state now.
Can he do that.
And speak for both Hamas.
And the Palestinian Authority -- that it clearly Palestinians are kind of in two different camps here.
Yeah that's why I think that we've got to go back to recognizing that what if Hamas is going to be a part of the Palestinian government we need to be unequivocal with -- that's a terrorist organization and we can't recognize that we've been dancing around that for too long we've been trying to pretend.
That the Palestinian government.
Is really.
Abbas and end it that they Hamas coalition is not a part of that and it's time that we stand up and say that we cannot have a government in Palestine we cannot give money to a government of Palestine.
If a terrorist organization is part of that.
Government.
To answer your question though.
The if if the Palestinians -- move at the UN to have a greater status.
They couldn't get it they're gonna have enough votes at the at the UN because that's going to be a vote in the general assembly -- they're no Vito is allowed.
And so they could -- actually get that.
Increased status and that is where I think.
The Japanese and the Europeans and the Americans only to stand up to be very clear that Hamas a terrorist organization is part of the Palestinian government.
Went one last thing about a check coming in from video will points.
-- -- point he says why don't feel this cease fire will be better than the aside cease fire very interesting point what do you think Richard.
Yeah I mean you know we had -- -- cease fire that was you know from -- on them.
And we knew that that was never gonna hold and so let's hope that the egyptians in the Turks have really.
Pushed back on Hamas enough so that we have a real cease fire.
All right -- I thank you very much Richard Riddell former spokesperson for the last four US ambassadors to the UN.
Thank you so much for your input and insight into what's happening in gossip thanks so much.
Thanks --
