Australia will formally recognise the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Monday, joining a coordinated global push by Western allies as the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza deepens.
The announcement came just hours after five Al Jazeera journalists were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City and as health authorities reported that nearly 200 Palestinians, including 96 children, have died from starvation since Israel launched its war on the enclave. The death toll from the conflict has now reached at least 61,430, with close to 200 deaths from hunger-related causes under Israel’s punishing siege.
Speaking at a news conference in Canberra, Albanese said the decision represented Australia’s commitment to breaking the cycle of violence in the Middle East. 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“, the Prime Minister declared.
Conditional Recognition Tied to Palestinian Authority Commitments
Australia’s recognition will be “predicated on commitments Australia has received from the Palestinian Authority”, Albanese revealed. These “detailed and significant commitments” include the PA reaffirming it “recognises Israel’s right to exist in peace and security” and pledging to “demilitarise and to hold general elections”.
The Palestinian Authority, which has overseen parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank since the mid-1990s, has not held parliamentary elections since 2006 and has faced criticism from some Palestinians for helping Israel maintain control over West Bank residents.
Albanese said the commitments secured by Australia presented “an opportunity to deliver self-determination for the people of Palestine in a way that isolates Hamas, disarms it and drives it out of the region once and for all”. Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, when it fought a brief war against forces loyal to PA President Mahmoud Abbas.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong had warned on Sunday that “there is a risk there will be no Palestine left to recognise”, telling the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: “In relation to recognition, I’ve said for over a year now, it’s a matter of when, not if”.
Global Momentum Builds Despite US Opposition
Australia’s announcement places it alongside France, Britain and Canada in signalling recognition of Palestinian statehood at the September UN meeting. Of the UN’s 193 member states, 147 already recognise Palestine – representing three-quarters of the world’s countries and the vast majority of its population.
France became the first G7 nation to announce its intention, with President Emmanuel Macron describing the decision as part of the country’s “historical commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East”. Britain followed with Prime Minister Keir Starmer warning that recognition would proceed unless Israel agreed to a ceasefire and committed to a genuine peace process.
The coordinated announcements leave the United States increasingly isolated among Western allies. The Trump administration has condemned the moves, warning Canada of potential trade consequences and accusing other nations of rewarding Hamas.
If France and Britain follow through, Palestine would be recognised by four of the five permanent UN Security Council members – China, Russia, France and Britain – leaving only the US opposed. The US has consistently used its veto power to block Palestine’s full UN membership.
Mass Protests Precede Historic Decision
The announcement came just over a week after an estimated 300,000 Australians marched across Sydney Harbour Bridge in one of the largest anti-war protests in the city’s history. Despite torrential rain and high winds, demonstrators filled the iconic landmark, chanting “Ceasefire Now” and “Free Palestine”.
Protesters carried pots and pans as symbols of the forced starvation ravaging Gaza, where UN-backed food security experts confirmed this week that a “worst-case scenario of famine” is unfolding. The protest proceeded after the New South Wales Supreme Court ruled in favour of organisers, with Justice Belinda Rigg stating that “the public interest in freedom of expression, at this time, in the manner contemplated, for the reasons advanced, is very high.
Josh Lees from the Palestine Action Group, which organised the march, called it “even bigger than we dreamt of” and a “monumental and historic” success. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, making a rare public appearance since his release from a UK prison, joined the march alongside former Labor minister Bob Carr.
Political Divisions Emerge
The decision has exposed deep divisions within Australian politics. The opposition Liberal Party condemned the move, with leader Sussan Ley arguing it puts Australia at odds with its closest ally, the United States, and reverses bipartisan consensus.
“Despite his words today, the reality is Anthony Albanese has committed Australia to recognising Palestine while hostages remain in tunnels under Gaza and with Hamas still in control of the population of Gaza”, Ley said in a statement. “Recognising a Palestinian state prior to a return of the hostages and defeat of Hamas risks delivering Hamas one of its strategic objectives of the horrific terrorism of October 7”.
The Australian Greens, parliament’s fourth-largest party, welcomed recognition but criticised it as insufficient. Senator David Shoebridge, the party’s foreign affairs spokesperson, noted: “Millions of Australians have taken to the streets, including 300,000
Image Credit (Shortened):
Anthony Albanese at CHOGM 2024 in Samoa – by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street, licensed under OGL v3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
