Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that Australia will formally recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly next month, aligning the nation with a growing international push for a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Speaking at a press conference in Canberra on Monday, Albanese called the move “humanity’s best hope” to end the cycle of violence, conflict, and humanitarian suffering in Gaza.
“A two-state solution is humanity’s best hope to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to bring an end to the conflict, suffering and starvation in Gaza,” he said.
Recognition Tied to Key Palestinian Commitments
The Prime Minister stressed that Australia’s decision is based on assurances from the Palestinian Authority, including a pledge to demilitarise and to hold democratic elections.
Albanese said Australia will work closely with the global community to help turn this commitment into a reality. The move brings Australia in step with recent recognition pledges from France, Canada, and the United Kingdom, as international criticism mounts over Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza and plans to occupy the entire territory.
Netanyahu Condemns Australia’s Stance
Just hours before Albanese’s announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply criticised Australia and European nations considering recognition of a Palestinian state, calling the decision “shameful.” Drawing a comparison to the October 7 Hamas attacks that left 1,200 people dead, Netanyahu argued that Australia would respond in the same way Israel has if similar violence occurred in Sydney or Melbourne.
“To have European countries and Australia march into that rabbit hole, just like that, fall right into it… I think it’s actually shameful,” Netanyahu said, maintaining Israel is applying military force “judiciously.”
Domestic Pressure Mounts on Albanese Government
The Albanese government has faced mounting calls, both from within the Labor Party and from the public, to speed up recognition of a Palestinian state.
Over the weekend, hundreds of thousands marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to protest Israel’s actions in Gaza. Pressure intensified after Netanyahu’s cabinet unveiled plans to occupy Gaza, a move Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong warned could breach international law.
Opposition Voices Concern
Liberal senator Dave Sharma, a former Australian ambassador to Israel, urged separating the recognition of Palestine from the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Speaking on ABC Radio National, Sharma argued that recent recognition moves by multiple nations have strengthened Hamas’s position and made a ceasefire less likely. “It’s made Hamas be able to portray itself as making political progress because of its military actions, and that is actually pushing back the resolution of this conflict,” he said.
