Mosab Hassan Yousef, son of Hamas co-founder Hassan Yousef, has slammed the group and its Western supporters.
Appearing on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored, Yousef, known as “the Green Prince”, appeared alongside a number of Palestinian guests to give their view on the conflict between Hamas and Israel. He said the conflict has “opened the gates of hell on the Palestinian people”.
Yousef criticised Hamas for its willingness to “sacrifice” Palestinian children and civilians. He said: “This is my message as an ex-Hamas member, as a son of one of Hamas’s founders: enough of this. If we don’t stop them now, the next war is going to be deadlier.”
Yousef has long spoken out about his experience growing up in the West Bank city of Ramallah. He was at one point imprisoned and later became an informant and advocate for Israel.
His 2010 autobiography Son of Hamas and the subsquent film adaptation The Green Prince detailed his journey. He was given the nickname as green is the colour of Hamas.
The Jerusalem Post reports he has spent time since addressing the media. This has included speeches at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
His conversation with Morgan began with the former Good Morning Britain host asking him what he felt Hamas’ intentions were. Yousef replied: “Since its establishment, Hamas has [had] one goal in mind, which is annihilating the State of Israel.
“It’s not a secret that Hamas wants to destroy the State of Israel. They cannot accept Israel or accept Israel’s right to exist.”
Yousef said he was surprised by the scale of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, but was not surpised by the brutal nature of the assault. He also claimed Gaza would “celebrate” should Hamas be defeated.
Addressing the idea that Israel can be blamed for the conflict, Yousef said Hamas is fighting for a “so-called Palestinian cause”.
He said: “Since my childhood, hearing the stories from [those who are] pro-Palestine and from those who are using the so-called ‘Palestinian cause.’ They care the least for the Palestinian children and their future.
“I am the legitimate representative of the Palestinian children. The child within me speaks.
“I don’t want somebody coming from London or somebody coming from the other side of the world to tell me what is the struggle of the Palestinian children. The Palestinian children, the Palestinian society have been hijacked by these criminals, and anybody who takes their side is participating in their crime.”
Yousef also claimed there is no desire for a “Palestinian state”, instead believing people want education and security. He feared there would be “another corrupt Arab regime”.
He continued: “Enough bloodshed and enough involvement from people who don’t care. They are just warriors on keyboards. They’re just storming world capitals saying ‘Free Palestine! Free Palestine!’ They don’t know what the hell Palestine is! I am Palestine! And [what] I say is ‘enough of Hamas’.
”We don’t want a Palestinian state, I don’t want a Palestinian state. Palestinian children need education, they need security, they need life. This is what they need, they don’t need another corrupt Arab regime.”
Yousef was asking if the Israeli’s were taking the best course of action when considering airstrikes and a ground invasion. Or whether he thought that could radicalize young Palestinians.
He concluded: “Listen to this. We are going to remove Hamas from power. Remember my words.
Hamas did not only bring the wrath of Israel over Gaza. Hamas brought the wrath of God. We are going to remove them from power and we are going to prosecute their leaders and we are going to bring them to justice. And the world will witness their punishment, and everyone who takes their side today, in this state of confusion, thinking that this is a joke, I tell those people that you are going to regret taking the side of Hamas. You are going to regret taking the side of those criminals who are killing the Palestinian people.”
