On Monday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Australia will recognize the Palestinian state, following signals from leaders in France, Britain, and Canada.
His comments come amidst rising calls for recognition from various sectors, particularly as reports indicate a “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza. This follows Albanese’s attempt to address the concerns about the situation there and growing discontent among officials regarding the plight of those affected.
The Australian government has also expressed its opposition to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent plans for further military actions in Gaza.
Albanese stated that the official recognition of the Palestinian state will be made at the UN General Assembly in September after a cabinet meeting. He noted that this decision was influenced by commitments received from Palestinian authorities.
These commitments, however, do not include aspects related to Hamas, such as its role in governing Palestine, the demilitarization of Gaza, or upcoming elections, he clarified.
He emphasized that a two-state solution is crucial for ending the ongoing violence in the Middle East and alleviating the suffering in Gaza. “What’s happening there is beyond the worst fears,” he remarked, highlighting that the Israeli government is ignoring international law and failing to provide the necessary aid to those in despair, including children.
Before Albanese’s announcement, Netanyahu criticized Australia and other European nations for their stance on recognizing Palestine as a state. He expressed his discontent with such moves, referring to them as a disservice.
Albanese reiterated Australia’s classification of Hamas as a terrorist organization and stressed the importance of returning Israeli hostages currently held since October 2023.
Last week, Albanese spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who oversees areas of the West Bank and advocates for a two-state solution while cooperating with Israel on security matters. Abbas is preparing to achieve recognition for the Palestinian state and has reached agreements with Western leaders, including Albanese.
Albanese emphasized that this recognition could enable Palestinian self-determination, distinguishing the Palestinian people from Hamas and promoting disarmament.
Of the 193 United Nations members, 150 have recognized Palestine, many years ago. Although the U.S. and other Western nations insist that a Palestinian state should emerge from a comprehensive peace agreement, recognitions are mostly symbolic and have been dismissed by Israel.
The envisioned two-state solution would entail establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel, including most of the occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem—territory taken during the 1967 conflict.
Albanese rejected the notion that this move is solely symbolic, insisting it contributes meaningfully to building momentum. He mentioned that Australia is coordinating its actions with leaders from Britain, France, New Zealand, and Japan, and that he had an extensive conversation with Netanyahu earlier this month.
In New Zealand, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced on Monday that his government would proceed with caution regarding recognizing the Palestinian state, with a formal decision expected in September. He indicated that New Zealand has been contemplating this recognition for some time now.
