Australia to recognize Palestinian state to ‘save Gaza’

Recognizing an independent Palestinian state will help “break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and bring an end to the conflict, suffering, and starvation in Gaza,” said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

By World Israel News Staff

Australia will join the UK, France, Canada, and several other nations in officially recognizing a Palestinian state at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly this September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Monday.

“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. We will work with the international community to make this right a reality,” Albanese said during a press conference following a cabinet vote on the decision.

The prime minister described the move as “part of a coordinated global effort building momentum for a two-state solution,” arguing that recognition of an independent Palestinian state would help “break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and bring an end to the conflict, suffering, and starvation in Gaza.”

Albanese called the humanitarian situation in Gaza “beyond the world’s worst dreams” and said the decision was influenced by what he described as Israel’s “failure to comply with its legal and ethical obligations” in the territory.

The Australian leader also claimed to have received assurances from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that Hamas would not govern a future Palestinian state and that the PA would commit to holding free and fair elections.

However, Abbas — an 88-year-old in power since 2006 — is deeply unpopular among Palestinians and has repeatedly postponed or canceled elections, with the last national vote held nearly 20 years ago.

Following Australia’s announcement, neighboring New Zealand signaled it could follow suit.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Sunday that Wellington “will carefully weigh up its position” ahead of the UN meeting in September.

“New Zealand has been clear for some time that our recognition of a Palestinian state is a matter of when, not if,” Peters stated.

During a press conference with foreign media in Jerusalem on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed countries that announced they would recognize an independent Palestinian state.

“To have European countries and Australia march into that rabbit hole … this canard, is disappointing, and I think it’s actually shameful,” Netanyahu said.