Australia joins growing list of Western countries to make the decision to Recognize a Palestinian State
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Monday that his government will formally recognize a Palestinian state, aligning the country with recent moves by France, Britain, and Canada. The decision follows growing pressure from within his Cabinet and the broader public, as well as mounting concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, Albanese described the situation in Gaza as a “humanitarian catastrophe” and said the recognition will be formalized during the United Nations General Assembly in September. He emphasized that the move is based on commitments from the Palestinian Authority, including the exclusion of Hamas from any future government, the demilitarization of Gaza, and the holding of democratic elections.
“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,” Albanese said.
The announcement comes amid strong criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who on Sunday condemned Australia and several European nations for moving toward Palestinian recognition. “To have European countries and Australia march into that rabbit hole … this canard, is disappointing and I think it’s actually shameful,” Netanyahu said.
Nearly 150 of the 193 United Nations member states have already recognized Palestinian statehood, many of them doing so decades ago. However, major Western powers like the United States have held off, insisting that recognition should come as part of a negotiated final peace agreement.
In neighboring New Zealand, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Monday that his government is still reviewing its stance and will make a decision in September on whether to follow suit.
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