Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Monday that Australia will formally recognize a Palestinian state during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September, aligning the country with a growing number of Western allies amid increasing global concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“Australia will recognize 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 at a press conference.
This move places Australia alongside the United Kingdom, France, and Canada, which have all signaled intentions to recognize Palestinian statehood at the UN gathering. The decision underscores a shifting diplomatic landscape and leaves the United States more isolated among its closest allies in its continued support of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
New Zealand may soon follow suit. Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on Monday that a decision on Palestinian state recognition will be made at a September cabinet meeting. “Our recognition of a Palestinian state is a matter of when, not if,” Peters noted, echoing statements previously made by Australian officials.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon added that while the situation in Gaza is an “absolute human catastrophe,” New Zealand will carefully weigh its decision. Former Prime Minister Helen Clark criticized the delay, saying it risked placing the country on the wrong side of history.
Recognition Tied to Conditions from Palestinian Authority
Albanese stated that recognition is conditional and follows assurances from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. These include:
Exclusion of Hamas from future governance
Demilitarization
Commitment to democratic elections
Reform of education and governance
End to financial support for families of prisoners and militants
International oversight to prevent incitement to violence
“A two-state solution is humanity’s best hope to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and bring an end to suffering and starvation in Gaza,” Albanese said. “This is about more than drawing a line on a map. This is about delivering a lifeline to the people of Gaza.”
In an interview with ABC, Albanese said he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing the Israeli leader as “in denial” about the humanitarian toll in Gaza.
US Faces Growing Diplomatic Isolation
The move by Australia—and potentially New Zealand—would mean four of the five members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US) are recognizing a Palestinian state, leaving the United States increasingly out of step with its closest allies.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed she had informed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in advance. However, a US read-out of the call made no mention of Palestinian statehood. Rubio, in a recent interview, criticized such recognition as “largely symbolic” and harmful to peace efforts.
Wong defended the decision, stating, “We cannot keep doing the same thing and hoping for a different outcome.” She emphasized that recognition was a step toward breaking diplomatic deadlock and reviving prospects for a two-state solution.
Israel Responds Amid Escalating Crisis
Israel, meanwhile, continues to expand its military operation in Gaza. On Friday, it announced a takeover of.
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