EDITORIAL: Terrorist praise exposes PM’s gaslighting

It’s the kind of effusive praise politicians usually only dream of.

Anthony Albanese’s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood at the United Nations next month represented an “important step towards achieving justice” which “reflects political courage and a commitment to the values of justice and the right of peoples to self-determination”.

The only problem is that the person showering the Prime Minister with plaudits was Hamas co-founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef.

“We call on all countries, especially those that believe in freedom and human dignity, to follow Australia’s example and translate their positions into practical steps to support the Palestinian people and end their suffering under occupation,” Yousef, who has spent decades in Israeli prisons for his role in the terrorist organisation, said.

Compare Yousef’s response with remarks made by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who denounced Australia’s diplomatic about-face as “shameful”.

Why would they give up now when their campaign of terror has proven so successful?

It makes a mockery of Mr Albanese’s reality-defying claim that Australia leaping onboard the Palestinian recognition bandwagon was somehow bad news for Hamas.

It’s true that Hamas is uninterested in a two-state solution.

It is interested only in the destruction of Israel.

But its leaders know that having useful idiots in Western parliaments rallying behind the Palestinian statehood cause is a stepping stone to that goal. Because as much as Mr Albanese and others might like to believe otherwise, wishing Hamas away won’t work.

The move to recognise Palestinian statehood now is a clear reward for Hamas’ terrible violence. It will further legitimise the extremists in the minds of Palestinian citizens.

The uncomfortable truth is that despite the enormous suffering brought upon Gaza by Hamas, the terrorist group continues to enjoy the backing of the majority of Palestinians.

This act by Australia in following the UK, France and Canada towards recognition will serve only to vindicate Hamas and reinforce that popularity, making dislodging its cancerous presence within Palestinian life even more difficult.

But Mr Albanese continues to claim that there will be “no role” for Hamas in a sovereign Palestine.

Why is he so confident of this fact? Because Mahmoud Abbas, President of the enfeebled Palestinian Authority which faces its own legitimacy crisis, told him so.

Promises from Mr Abbas that Hamas would be forced to disarm are less than meaningless.

Even after 21 months of brutal, grinding war, it is Hamas which calls the shots in Gaza, with the PA on the sidelines in the West Bank.

Mr Albanese points out that the Arab League, which includes Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, have also issued demands for Hamas to relinquish power in Gaza.

But terrorist groups, by definition, don’t much care for international law and order.

Why would they give up now when their campaign of terror, hostage taking and extremism has proved so successful?

Responsibility for the editorial comment is taken by Editor-in-Chief Christopher Dore.