Albanese says ‘Hamas will engage in propaganda' amid confusion over statements on Palestinian statehood
Nine newspapers reported on Wednesday that the Hamas co-founder and senior official Sheikh Hassan Yousef had welcomed the decision, praising Australia's 'political courage' and calling on other countries to follow its example.
But the group later said Yousef was in jail and not able to communicate with media outlets. Nine clarified on Thursday that the statement was from Yousef's office not the man himself.
Australian Associated Press reported that Hamas's foreign relations chief, Istanbul-based Dr Basem Naim, had poured cold water on the veracity of the Yousef statement.
'Sheikh Yousef is in an Israeli jail for years now. I'm very surprised ... I doubt it's true,' he said referring to the statement attributed to Yousef.
Guardian Australia reported the government's response to Nine's Wednesday report and the quotes attributed to Yousef.
Critics of the Albanese government, including the federal Coalition and conservative media commentators, seized on the statement attributed to Yousef when attacking Labor's decision to recognise Palestine.
The opposition's foreign affairs spokesperson, Michaelia Cash, claimed Albanese should 'hang his head in shame after being praised today by the terrorist group Hamas'. The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, pointed to 'the Hamas co-founder praising our prime minister for this decision'.
Nine clarified on Thursday the statement had been issued by Yousef's political office in the West Bank, which it said 'issues statements on his behalf', and that Yousef was in prison.
A statement on an English-language Telegram channel, purportedly run by Hamas, stated that Yousef was 'being held in poor conditions and is cut off from the outside world, with no means of communication with local or international press outlets'. It denied he had made any statement on Australia's recognition of a Palestinian state.
AAP reported Naim referred to the Telegram statement, confirming its veracity.
Albanese on Thursday said: 'Hamas do not want a two-state solution.'
'What they want is one state,' the prime minister said.
'And I noticed in the [Telegram] 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.
'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 is united about isolating Hamas, about supporting a peaceful way forward.'
Ley on Thursday again claimed the terrorist group had given 'full-throated praise of the prime minister'.
The government on Wednesday cautioned against legitimising the statement attributed to Yousef, with a spokesperson claiming Hamas 'always tries to manipulate facts for their own propaganda'.
'Media have a responsibility to make professional judgments to not promote propaganda of terrorist organisations to get cynical headlines,' they said.
Nine on Thursday said the earlier statement attributed to Yousef had been provided by his political office in the occupied West Bank 'which issues statements on his behalf'. Nine said Yousef's office 'confirmed it had released the statement and that Youssef was still in jail'.
Nine on Wednesday initially reported: 'Yousef, one of Hamas' most senior leaders in the occupied West Bank, said in a statement to this masthead.'
Nine later added a clarification noting 'this story has been updated to clarify the statement was issued by Sheikh Hassan Yousef's office and that he is held in prison. A subsequent statement issued via a Telegram channel in Hamas's name has also been added to the story'.
Nine declined to comment further.
The ABC on Wednesday reported on a statement attributed to the Hamas media director, Ismail Al-Thawabta, that Australia's move to recognise a Palestinian state 'reflects a growing global awareness of the necessity to end the injustice suffered by our people for decades'.
'We call on the Australian government to translate this recognition into concrete actions — by exerting diplomatic pressure to end the Israeli occupation,' the ABC reported Al-Thawabta as saying.
Guardian Australia sought comment from Al-Thawabta and the Hamas-run Ministry of Information in Gaza.
– Additional reporting Australian Associated Press
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