Australia to Recognise Palestinian State at UN in September

Australia will formally recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Monday. The move follows similar decisions by the United Kingdom, France, and Canada.

Albanese said the decision came after securing commitments from the Palestinian Authority (PA) to demilitarise, hold democratic elections, and uphold Israel’s right to exist. He added that Hamas would have no role in the governance of a future Palestinian state.

“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 mounting international pressure on Israel to halt its military campaign in Gaza. Israeli officials have criticised the recognition of Palestinian statehood, calling it a “reward for terrorism.”

According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, five more people have died from starvation and malnutrition since Saturday, bringing the death toll from hunger-related causes to 217. The ministry says more than 61,000 people have been killed since Israel launched its offensive in 2023, following a Hamas-led attack on 7 October that left about 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage.

The PA, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, said international recognition reflects growing global support for Palestinian self-determination.

Albanese noted that the decision followed discussions with leaders from the UK, France, New Zealand, and Japan over the past two weeks.

“There is a moment of opportunity here, and Australia will work with the international community to seize it,” he told reporters.

The announcement comes just a day after tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, following a court ruling allowing the protest to proceed.

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