Australia to Recognise Palestine State at UN in September

(The Post News )- Australia will formally recognise the state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly next month, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced, declaring a two-state solution is “humanity’s best hope” for an end to decades of violence in the Middle East.

The commitment, made public on Monday, comes amid growing international momentum for the recognition of Palestinian statehood. The United Kingdom, France, and Canada have all made the identical commitment in recent weeks. Albanese said the move follows unequivocal assurances from the Palestinian Authority (PA) that it would be a demilitarised state, hold democratic elections, recognise Israel’s right to exist in peace, and exclude Hamas from any role in future governments.

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“Australia will acknowledge the right of the Palestinian people to their own state, founded on the commitments Australia has received from the Palestinian Authority,” Albanese stated. “We will work with the international community to turn this right into reality.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who stood together with the prime minister, stated recognition could not wait for a defunct peace process to restart. “A whole people have been devastated. This September, the international community can make hope out of despair,” she said, adding that Australia would also assist in developing the PA’s governmental capacity.

The decision has prompted a furious reaction from Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is coming under growing pressure over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, called Australia’s decision “shameful” and said it would “reward terrorism.” He justified Israel’s military action as a reaction to Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack, in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage.

Over 61,000 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, have been killed since Israel began its assault, and hundreds more have died due to starvation and malnutrition as a result of stringent curbs on aid, Gaza health officials reported.

The Australian Jewish leadership also denounced the action. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) stated it was a “betrayal” which will undermine efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. Coalition defence spokesman Angus Taylor called the move “premature,” as it would embolden Hamas.

But pressure had been building domestically and publicly on the Labor government, with tens of thousands of individuals marching across Sydney Harbour Bridge over the weekend in solidarity with Palestinian rights. The recognition was embraced by Labor Friends of Palestine as the fulfillment of a long-standing party policy.

Albanese indicated he had informed Netanyahu personally of the decision, and Wong spoke to her United States counterpart Marco Rubio. The United States has reiterated it will not at this time recognise a Palestinian state, warning that to do so without a functioning government in place would be counterproductive.

The state of Palestine is already recognized by 147 of the UN’s 193 members and has permanent observer status, which allows it to participate in discussions but not vote. The UN General Assembly meeting in September is expected to see a new bid for full membership, with Australia now set to vote in favor.

“This is a practical step towards momentum for peace,” Albanese said. “We believe this is the path which offers most hope to both Israelis and Palestinians.”