Key points
- Australia will recognise a Palestinian state at the UN in September
- Albanese supports a two-state solution without Hamas involvement
- Israel condemns move as harmful to peace
- Decision follows global pressure over Gaza’s crisis
SYDNEY, Australia: Australia will recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday.
“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,” he told reporters in Canberra, according to AFP.
Statement on the recognition of the State of Palestine. pic.twitter.com/Mg0Ec8buo1
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) August 11, 2025
“Until Israeli and Palestinian statehood is permanent, peace can only be temporary.
“Australia will recognise the right of the Palestinian people to a state of their own. We will work with the international community to make this right a reality.”
“Moment of opportunity”
The decision follows a push from several countries, including France, Britain and Canada, to recognise statehood for the Palestinians after Israel launched a war on Gaza nearly two years ago.
“There is a moment of opportunity here, and Australia will work with the international community to seize it,” Albanese added.
He said that Australia’s decision was predicated on reassurances from the Palestinian Authority that there would be “no role for the terrorists of Hamas in any future Palestinian state”. The PA, however, does not have a presence in Gaza, which has been governed by Hamas for nearly two decades.
According to BBC, Albanese said Australia received commitments from the Palestinian Authority (PA) including to demilitarise, hold general elections and continue to recognise Israel’s right to exist.
“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,” he said on Monday.
Anti-Israeli war on Gaza protest
Last Sunday, an anti-Israeli war on Gaza protest drew tens of thousands of supporters who walked across Sydney Harbour Bridge, a day after a court ruling allowed the demonstration to happen.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, in total more than 61,000 people have been killed as a result of Israel’s military campaign since 2023.
“Unavailable”
Following Australia’s announcement, Israel’s embassy in Canberra told AFP the ambassador was “unavailable” to comment.
Just hours earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised international calls to recognise Palestinian statehood, saying it would “not bring peace, it will bring war”.
“To have European countries and Australia march into that rabbit hole, just like that, fall right into it and buy this canard is disappointing, and I think it’s actually shameful,” he said.
International concern is growing about the plight of the more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where the fighting has triggered a dire humanitarian crisis and warnings of mass starvation.
Albanese further criticised the Israeli government Monday and said it continued to defy “international law and deny sufficient aid”.
“Matter of when, not if”
As the global movement to recognise Palestine grows, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters said his country would carefully consider whether to do the same over the next month.
He added that New Zealand’s recognition of a Palestinian state is a “matter of when, not if”.
Israel’s war has killed at least 61,430 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, figures the United Nations says are reliable, according to AFP.
