Canberrra: Australia will recognize Palestine as a state at the UN General Assembly in September, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said today.
“Australia will recognise the right of the Palestinian people to a state of their own predicated on the commitments Australia has received from the Palestinian Authority,” Albanese said, as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.
“We will work with the international community to make this right a reality. Australia is making this statement today following our cabinet meeting, as part of a co-ordinated global effort building momentum for a two-state solution,” he added.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney also confirmed his country’s intention to grant recognition at the same UN session, joining France, the UK, and over a dozen other nations signaling support for Palestinian statehood. New Zealand and several others are expected to follow.
The announcements come amid mounting global pressure on Israel to end its Gaza offensive, which began in October 2023 after a Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel and took more than 250 hostages. The Hamas-led Gaza health ministry says over 60,000 people have been killed since.
While France plans to recognize Palestine unconditionally, the UK and Canada have linked their decisions to Israel agreeing to a ceasefire and steps toward lasting peace. More than 145 countries already recognize Palestine.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the move, calling it a reward for “Hamas’s monstrous terrorism,” while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeled it “reckless.” The Palestinian Authority welcomed the announcements, with Hamas describing France’s stance as a “positive step.”
