Benjamin Netanyahu intensified a diplomatic dispute with Australia by saying Anthony Albanese's legacy is irrevocably blackened by perceived weakness toward Hamas after Australia recognised a Palestinian state. Netanyahu said Hamas praise of Albanese signaled a problem, referencing a disputed quote attributed to Hamas cofounder Sheikh Hassan Yousef. Hamas denied issuing any such statement and said Yousef has been in Israeli custody without means to communicate. Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke rejected Netanyahu’s remarks, saying strength is not measured by violence or leaving children hungry. Albanese said he did not take the criticism personally and sought to play down the spat.
When the worst terrorist organisation on earth, these savages who murdered women, raped them, beheaded men, burnt babies alive in front of their parents, took hundreds of hostages, when these people congratulate the Prime Minister of Australia, you know something is wrong, Netanyahu said in the interview, portions of which were posted online by Sky News before the broadcast.
Netanyahu's accusation appeared to refer to a disputed statement that appeared last week in the Sydney Morning Herald, in which Hamas cofounder Sheikh Hassan Yousef was quoted praising Albanese for his political courage.
On Wednesday, Australia's Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke hit back at the Israeli leader, saying strength was not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry, though Albanese attempted to play down the spat by saying he did not take it personally.
Collection
[
|
...
]