Alexander Downer: Hypocritical Propagandist.

Alexander Downer has never been a politician of any great intellect. A failed leader of the Federal Liberal Party in Australia, his piece in the Australian today, reinforced what I’ve always thought about him – not much!

His article, "Failure to Call Out Hamas a Feeble Act of Leadership," in The Australian, reflects a desperate attempt to perpetuate Western biases, maintain a colonial narrative, and discredit the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people.

Downer’s patronising remarks, which paint Hamas as nothing but a terrorist organisation, not only insult the democratic will of the Palestinian people but demonstrates his ignorance to acknowledge the history of colonialism and occupation that’s driven the region to this point.

Hamas, whether Downer likes it or not, was democratically elected by the Palestinian people in 2006. For anyone who believes in democracy, as Downer hypocritically claims to, this should be a matter of respect. Instead, he chooses to lazily parrot the stale rhetoric of the US and Israel, who’ve used their international clout to manipulate the narrative surrounding Hamas, branding it a “terrorist organisation” to delegitimise the movement and deflect attention from their own roles in perpetuating the suffering of Palestinians.

Hamas is only designated as a terrorist organisation by a handful of countries, most notably the US and Israel, and those nations that obediently fall in line with their foreign policy diktats. The fact they dominate international forums such as the UN allows them to control the narrative around Hamas, painting it as a threat rather than a resistance movement representing the legitimate grievances of the Palestinian people.

Downer conveniently ignores the reality of life under decades of Israeli occupation, subjugation, blockades, and unceasing military aggression—conditions that make it impossible for a peaceful existence in Gaza.

America and its allies, have weaponised the term “terrorism” to delegitimise anyone who resists occupation and domination. What Downer fails to recognise—or intentionally obscures—is Hamas’s existence is a response to Israel’s continued expansionist policies and military occupation.

Labelling of Hamas as a terrorist group is not based on a universal moral standard, but rather on geopolitical interests. The US and Israel want to maintain the status quo, one that ensures Israel’s dominance over Palestinian territories, while suppressing any force that dares to stand up to this oppression.

Downer positions Israel as a beacon of “liberal democracy,” however, the reality is Israel’s democracy doesn’t extend to Palestinians living under occupation. This is the apartheid state Downer defends—a state discriminating against its Arab citizens and oppressing millions of Palestinians in the occupied territories.

When Downer defends Israel’s crimnes unconditionally, he’s defending the ongoing ethnic cleansing and land theft that Palestinians have endured for decades. His version of Western civilisation, which he claims is under threat, is little more than a thinly veiled defence of settler-colonialism.

For the Palestinian people, Hamas isn’t some alien force imposed upon them, but a manifestation of their desire for self-determination. Hamas’s electoral victory in 2006 wasn’t an accident. It came after years of failed peace processes, broken promises, and a relentless Israeli campaign to dismantle any hope of Palestinian statehood.

Hamas’s popularity stemmed from the Palestinian people’s disillusionment with the corrupt and ineffective Palestinian Authority - seen as a puppet of Western powers, instead Hamas represented an alternative - a promised resistance to occupation and a commitment to the dignity and freedom of Palestinians.

Downer’s handwringing over the supposed moral superiority of Israel also conveniently omits the war crimes and human rights violations committed by the Israeli state. For Downer, these are mere footnotes in the narrative of defending “Western civilisation.” Where is his condemnation of the indiscriminate bombings of Gaza, his moral outrage at the siege that has left over 2m people in the world’s largest open-air prison?

The fact Western Leaders have hesitated to offer unconditional support for Israel isn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of growing recognition that blind support for Israeli militarism is untenable. The international community can’t ignore the reality Israel’s policies are central to the violence in the region. Instead of supporting a just solution that addresses the rights and aspirations of Palestinians, Downer prefers to perpetuate a narrative that serves Israeli interests.

Despite Downer’s disingenuous portrayal, Hamas is a legitimate political and military force that represents a significant portion of the Palestinian people. Western powers may not like Hamas’s methods, the fact remains that it operates within the context of a population that’s been systematically oppressed and denied basic human rights for decades. The West's refusal to recognise Hamas as a legitimate actor in the conflict perpetuates the very violence and instability that Downer claims to abhor.

Palestine’s struggle for freedom and independence can’t be reduced to a simple narrative of “good versus evil,” as Downer would have it. Resistance to occupation is a legitimate response under international law, and it’s hypocritical for Western nations, built on the ashes of colonial violence, to label such movements as inherently illegitimate.

Downer’s attacks on Western leaders for their supposed weakness in failing to back Israel is nothing more than an attempt to stoke fear and uphold a narrative that positions Israel as the perpetual victim, while demonising Palestinians as inherently violent. His fearmongering about the collapse of Western civilisation is a tired argument meant to distract from the real issue: the ongoing subjugation of the Palestinian people.

Hamas isn’t the enemy of the West. The real threat to peace in the region is the continued occupation and the international community’s failure to hold Israel accountable for its crimes. Downer’s arguments are misguided and dangerous.

The West shouldn’t fall into the trap of supporting endless violence and occupation under the guise of defending “civilisation.” It must recognise the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to resist occupation.