Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has accused the Coalition and media of falling for “Hamas propaganda” after reports emerged that the terrorist group had praised his government.
Labor’s “political courage” was reportedly hailed by Hamas co-founder Hassan Youssef after Australia revealed it would recognise Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
But Albanese noted Youssef had been imprisoned in Israel since 2023 with no means of communication and repeated the suggestion that recognition would help isolate the designated terror group.
“What that should be is a warning to the media of being very careful about the fact that Hamas will engage in propaganda,” he said in Brisbane on Wednesday.
“Hamas do not want a two-state solution – what they want is one state.
“I won’t be a cheer squad for Hamas.”
Later, a statement issued by Hamas on its Telegram channel said Yousef did not release a statement, as he was in prison and had no means of communicating with the press.
Opponents of Australia’s recognition move, including the Coalition, seized on the comments to claim the government had got it wrong.
“[Albanese] must reverse this decision, because when terrorists are cheerleaders for your foreign policy, you need to think again and reverse that position,” Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said.
But Albanese reiterated that Australia’s recognition would be tied to commitments that Hamas play no role in a future Palestinian state.
“Hamas will engage in propaganda because they are being isolated,” he said.
Almost 150 of the 193 UN member states have already recognised the state of Palestine, including EU countries Spain and Ireland.
However, the Coalition has pledged to reverse Australia’s position if it wins the next election.
Opposition Israeli parliamentarian Shelly Tal Meron said she was also concerned about Hamas’s purported reaction.
“When Hamas representatives, who are members of a terror organisation, are congratulating the Australian government, it’s a problem,” she told ABC Radio.
“Basically what we’re saying is you can invade a sovereign country, a democratic, Western, liberal country, and you can kill so many civilians and you’ll be rewarded for that.”
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed almost 62,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including 18,000 children, according to local health authorities. Last Friday, the Israeli government approved plans to seize Gaza City.
Its bombardment and military action on the strip restarted when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 hostage.
Israel’s government has also throttled aid and food into Gaza for months. The UN projects 2.1 million people face high levels of acute food insecurity, while 470,000 face catastrophic levels.
Major international aid organisations, including those that have operated in Gaza for decades, have been unable to deliver a single truck of supplies since March 2, according to Save the Children.
Former Labor senator and left-faction heavyweight Doug Cameron said the government should do all it could to support a Palestinian state, including aiding reconstruction efforts when the conflict ends.
“We should not treat Palestine any differently to any other recognised state in the world and there should be an embassy,” he said.
“If the Israeli government continues to kill innocent Palestinians, Labor has got no choice but to implement stronger and effective sanctions against a government that’s committing genocide.”
Israel rejects its actions in Gaza amount to genocide, a claim that has also been brought against it before the International Court of Justice.
Independent senator David Pocock called for targeted sanctions against the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over actions in Gaza.
-with AAP
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