Mosab Hassan Yousef grew up inside Hamas, but later became a spy for Israel’s Shin Bet before later fleeing to the US
A Palestinian state will never exist because it is an “artificial construct,” according to Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of Hamas co-founder Hassan Yousef. His remarks come as several countries have moved to recognize Palestinian statehood while a UN commission has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
Yousef grew up inside Hamas but later became a secret asset for Israel’s Shin Bet security service before fleeing to the US. He has since been a vocal opponent of Hamas and Palestinian nationalism.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Yousef described “Palestinianism” as a “political, violent movement” built on victimhood and cult-like thinking that threatens not just Israel but the wider world. He claimed Palestinians and Hamas are indistinguishable after decades of “indoctrination” and suggested Palestinians should abandon their national identity in order to prosper.
Meanwhile, the UK, Canada, Australia, and Portugal formally recognized the State of Palestine over the weekend ahead of the UN General Assembly summit in New York. Russia, which has recognized Palestine since the Soviet era, has also reaffirmed that the only path to ending the war is through a two-state solution.
Earlier this month, the UNGA passed a resolution backing a two-state solution and demanding that Hamas be disarmed and excluded from governance in Gaza.
Israel has dismissed the drive to recognize a Palestinian state. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that a Palestinian state “will not happen” west of the Jordan River. He described international efforts as a reward for terrorism, as several Israeli ministers have called for the annexation of the occupied West Bank. Defense Minister Israel Katz has vowed that operations in Gaza will not relent until Hamas is defeated.
The Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters killed around 1,200 people in Israel and took more than 250 hostages. Israel responded with a blockade and military campaign that has since killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to the health authorities in Gaza.
A UN commission of inquiry last week concluded that Israel is “responsible for genocide in Gaza,” citing mass killings and the deliberate imposition of life-threatening conditions.
