Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticised Hamas for using 'propaganda' after the group welcomed his pledge to recognise Palestinian statehood. Photo / Getty Images
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticised Hamas for using 'propaganda' after the group welcomed his pledge to recognise Palestinian statehood. Photo / Getty Images
Anthony Albanese has hit back against Hamas “propaganda” after the Islamist group put out statements overnight welcoming his pledge to recognise Palestinian statehood.
Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a co-founder of Hamas and one of its most senior figures in the West Bank, had yesterday welcomed the “political courage” of the AustralianLabor Government in a statement to Nine Newspapers.
He claimed the decision to recognise Palestine vindicated Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack – the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.
In response, an Australian Government spokesperson said the decision was intended to “isolate Hamas”, while implicitly criticising the media for airing the group’s views.
“Hamas always tries to manipulate facts for their own propaganda,” the spokesperson said.
Albanese also cast doubt on the initial statement reported by the Nine newspapers yesterday.
It was attributed to Yousef, who was arrested in an Israeli raid in the West Bank in late October 2023.
In its comments overnight, Hamas rejected the idea that Yousef could issue a statement given his imprisonment.
“I notice in the statement that’s made today, they say that the alleged statement from the person yesterday is someone who’s been in prison in Israel since October 2023 and has no means of communication,” Albanese said.
“What that should be is a warning to the media of being very careful about the fact that Hamas will engage in propaganda because what is happening is the international community are united about isolating Hamas, about supporting a peaceful way forward.”
Meanwhile, Sussan Ley has called on Albanese to reconsider his decision.
Speaking later on Thursday, the Opposition Leader said Albanese “should look at his own statements” because they “say quite clearly that Hamas would not support the decision he’s made”.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley (right) urged Albanese to reconsider, citing Hamas' praise as concerning. Photo / Getty Images
“But Hamas is more than supporting the decision he’s made,” Ley told reporters in Adelaide.
“They’re in full-throated praise of it. They are cheering on. They’re calling our Prime Minister a man of courage on a day when a terrorist organisation calls our Prime Minister a hero.
“Surely he has to think about reversing the decision that led to that.”
In its statements overnight, Hamas welcomed any support to “help the Palestinian people achieve their national goals” but did not directly praise Albanese.
“Any efforts from any party to help the Palestinian people achieve their national goals of [an] independent state and self sovereignty is very welcomed, but the core question is how to implement this and how to oblige Israel to abide [by] international law,” it said to Sky News.
“These movements are in need for teeth, for practical guide and for honest commitment to reach this goal, otherwise we will continue.”
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry said it was true that Hamas opposed a two-state solution, but Albanese did not have the full picture.
“The Prime Minister framed the announcement as a defeat for Hamas because of its violent opposition to a two-state solution and desire to replace Israel with a Palestinian state from the river to the sea,” co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said in a statement.
“He is right about Hamas’ intentions but wrong about how they see the struggle.
“They view the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel as a leap towards eventual conquest and slaughter of the Jews.”
He added that Hamas was praising Albanese because it feels “like October 7 has worked perfectly and now brought them a step closer to total victory”.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasised that Hamas opposes a two-state solution and manipulates facts for its agenda. Photo / Getty Images
“Western governments have unwittingly played along with Hamas’ vision of annihilation,” Ryvchin said.
Hamas killed more than 1200 people in its unprecedented assault just less than two years ago.
Its fighters slaughtered whole families and boasted about the violence on social media.
The October 7, 2023, attacks represent the worst loss of Jewish lives since the Holocaust.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s relentless pursuit of Hamas, which runs Gaza.
With civilians making up the majority of deaths and no end in sight to the conflict, Albanese said recognising Palestine was about saying “enough is enough” to the “cycle of violence”.
Palestinian statehood is a core goal for Hamas.
So too is the destruction of Israel, meaning it does not support a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians live within sovereign, internationally recognised borders.
