A former member of the Hamas terror group stunned the United Nations Human Rights Council when he blasted the Palestinian Leadership Organization (PLO) during a speech to the body earlier this week.
Before Mosab Hassan Yousef spoke on Sept. 25, many member states of the Human Rights Council, including the PLO, Syria, Qatar, North Korea, Pakistan, Venezuela and Iran took aim at Israel, accusing the country of genocide and many other crimes against humanity.
When Yousef spoke, he identified his past and said he spoke on behalf of the observer group U.N. Watch.
"I address my words to the Palestinian Authority, which claims to be the ‘sole legitimate representative’ of the Palestinian people. I ask: where does your legitimacy come from?" Yousef said. "The Palestinian people did not elect you, and they did not appoint you to represent them. You are self-appointed. Your accountability is not to your own people. This is evidenced by your total violation of their human rights."
Yousef then pointed out violations of the PLO and other Palestinian organizations.
"You kidnap Palestinian students from campus and torture them in your jails. You torture your political rivals. The suffering of the Palestinian people is the outcome of your selfish political interests," Yousef said. "You are the greatest enemy of the Palestinian people. If Israel did not exist, you would have no one to blame. Take responsibility for the outcome of your own actions. You fan the flames of conflict to maintain your abusive power."
As Yousef spoke, other members of the U.N. Human Rights Council appeared stunned, including some men sitting in front of Yousef who turned around to face him in disbelief as he called out the PLO.