Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Monday that Australia will formally recognise a Palestinian state, joining the ranks of countries like France,
Britain and Canada that have indicated similar intentions. The announcement comes after weeks of pressure from Cabinet members and public calls for recognition, amid growing criticism within the government over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. According to a report by the Associated Press, Albanese, after a cabinet meeting on Monday said, "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." Prime Minister Albanese added that the decision will be formalised at the United Nations General Assembly in September and is “based on commitments Australia has received from the Palestinian Authority.” According to Albanese, the commitments from the Palestinian Authority include excluding Hamas from any future Palestinian government, demilitarising Gaza, and holding democratic elections. “Our government has made it clear that there can be no role for the terrorists of Hamas in any future Palestinian state,” he told reporters outside Parliament House. “This is one of the commitments Australia has sought and received from President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority.” he said, according to a report by Bloomberg. Canberra has also condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent plans for a large-scale military offensive in Gaza. Anthony Albanese and his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon, warned that Israel risked breaching international law, urging Jerusalem to reconsider its military campaign targeting Hamas strongholds in Gaza City. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Canberra’s planned recognition of a Palestinian state, calling the move “shameful.”
