CNN “The Lead” host Jake Tapper grilled Ambassador Maen Rashid Areikat, a Representative of the PLO’s General Delegation on Thursday. After Areikat argued that the Israelis are the real terrorists because Hamas has not killed a large number of Israeli civilians, Tapper countered that this was simply due to the ineffectiveness of Hamas’ attempts to kill Israelis, saying “with all due respect, that’s because they’re [Hamas] not very good. They’re certainly trying to kill more Israelis.”
After Areikat railed against civilian suffering in Hamas, Tapper asked “wasn’t it a mistake by Hamas, a few days ago, to reject the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the PA’s larger cease-fire proposal?” And that if Hamas wants to end human suffering in Gaza “I don’t understand why there isn’t an agreement to a cease-fire.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett