Afif Safieh, head of the PLO Mission to the United States, got a good reception from University of Colorado students yesterday, Kelly Morgan reports for The Campus Press. Safieh spoke to a “full crowd,” she writes:

Safieh recalled visiting the State Department and telling officials they could accept the democratic election of Hamas or they could “rob them of legitimacy and force them back to militarism.” Unfortunately, Safieh said, the United States chose the second option.
“I do not believe that the election of Hamas is a blow to the peace process,” he said.[…]
Safieh said there is a perception in the Middle East that the United States is complacent about the Israeli occupation, which offends many Arabs.
“We are not asking you to sacrifice a traditional friend in Israel, we are offering you a new one in Palestine,” he said.
Safieh also called on Palestinians to participate in a “collective nonviolent strategy.”[…]
The speech was well received, judging from the standing ovation Safieh received when he left the stage.
“It’s great that such an important world leader could come to Boulder,” said Jessica Pitts, a freshman music major. “It’s good to get the Palestinian perspective.”
Cecilia Costelow, also a freshman music major, appreciated “hearing the information first hand instead of through the media.”
“It’s nice that he supports a nonviolent solution,” said freshman music major Alison Medina.