The National Jewish Assembly (NJA) strongly condemns the recent actions of Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian Liberation Organisation’s (PLO) envoy to the United Kingdom, for commemorating a Palestinian terrorist responsible for a heinous attack.
Zomlot’s tweet memorialising Ghassan Kanafani, an orchestrator of the 1972 Lod Airport massacre, is just one example in a long string of remarks by Zomlot that glorify Palestinian terrorism and attempt to justify violence against Israeli civilians.
By paying tribute to Kanafani, who played a prominent role in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Zomlot displays a blatant disregard for the innocent lives lost in the horrific attack. The Lod Airport massacre resulted in the deaths of 26 people, including 17 Puerto Rican pilgrims, a Canadian tourist, and eight Israeli civilians. Celebrating a terrorist responsible for such an atrocity is not only sickening but also deeply troubling.
This is not the first time Zomlot’s extremist positions have sparked controversy. In an incident widely panned by the NJA in February this year, Zomlot was interviewed on Sky News and refused to condemn Palestinian terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians and instead doubled-down on inflammatory rhetoric labelling Israel as a “coloniser,” “occupier,” and “besieger.” Zomlot’s extensive history of such comments demonstrate a consistent pattern of glorifying Palestinian violence and promoting a dangerous narrative that justifies terror against Israelis.
The NJA also notes with concern that Zomlot has faced allegations of Holocaust denial, downplaying rocket attacks on Israeli communities, and defending the abhorrent “Pay-for-Slay” policy of the Palestinian Authority, which incentivises terrorism by providing financial support to terrorists and their families.
The NJA calls on the UK government to unequivocally denounce Zomlot’s glorification of terrorism and to hold him accountable for his inflammatory statements. It is telling that certain leaders and media outlets in the UK have been relentelss and unreserved in their condemnation of perceived Israeli wrongdoings, but seemingly refuse to call out Zomlot for his hateful rhetoric.
Zomlot’s comments hinder the prospects for peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. It is essential for all parties to promote dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect in order to achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
