Hamas has distanced itself from comments reportedly made by one of its co-founders praising Anthony Albanese’s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood.
Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a co-founder of Hamas and one of its most senior figures in the West Bank, purportedly told Nine Newspapers on Wednesday he welcomed the ‘political courage’ of the Labor government.
He also claimed the decision to recognise Palestine vindicated Hamas’s October 7 attack – the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.
But now a statement published on Hamas’s English-language Telegram channel on Thursday has ‘denie(d) the issuance of any statement by Sheikh Hassan Yousef, detained in occupation jails since October 19, 2023, on the n position regarding the recognition of the Palestinian state’.
‘Hamas affirms that Sheikh Hassan is held in poor detention conditions, cut off from the outside world, and has no means of communication with any local or international press outlets,’ the statement added.
This was echoed by Albanese, who told reporters he would ‘not be a cheer squad for Hamas’.
‘What that should be is a warning to the media to be very careful about the fact that Hamas will engage in propaganda, because what is happening is that the international community are united about isolating Hamas, about supporting a peaceful way forward,’ Albanese added.
He urged the media not to ‘repeat Hamas’s propaganda’.
Nine Newspapers, who broke the original statement said to be from Yousef, reported on Thursday that the comments had been provided by the former Hamas leader’s ‘office in Beitunia, a town near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, which issues statements on his behalf’.
Despite the apparent disconnect, Hamas still issued a statement applauding the Labor government’s decision to recognise Palestine.
‘Such a move reflects a growing global awareness of the necessity to end the injustice suffered by our people for decades,’ Hamas media director Ismail Al-Thawabta told the ABC.
‘We call on the n government to translate this recognition into concrete actions — by exerting diplomatic pressure to end the Israeli occupation.’
The Opposition has predictably seized on the decision to recognise Palestinian statehood, with Liberal deputy leader Sussan Ley accusing the Prime Minister of ‘making a real mess of this.’
‘On the same day, a listed terror organisation calls our prime minister a hero, while our closest ally, the US, says that these actions are going to make peace in the region less likely,’ she told Nine on Thursday morning.
‘So, it’s really quite extraordinary, because remember, the Prime Minister used justification for this decision by saying Hamas would not be involved.
‘And I saw the Treasurer yesterday saying, ‘Oh, Hamas will have no role in a future Palestinian state.’ Really? As if we can control these things?’
Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash said the decision was a gift to the proscribed terrorist group.
‘All ns should be appalled at the massive propaganda victory Mr Albanese has handed Hamas on a platter,’ Cash said on Wednesday.
The decision also provoked the ire of Israel, with the country’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar reposting a news article about Hamas praising Albanese.
‘Hamas loves Anthony Albanese,’ Sa’ar wrote, using a heart emoji for ‘loves’.
On Monday, the Prime Minister announced that would recognise Palestinian statehood at the United Nations next month, following similar commitments from other Western allies, including the UK, France, and Canada.
He insisted the move would be ‘totally opposed’ by Hamas, and said the Palestinian Authority had assured him the group would play no role in any future Palestinian state.