Australia to Officially Recognise Palestinian State at UN Assembly, Says PM Albanese

By Amit Kumar

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that Australia will move forward with formally
recognising a Palestinian state, aligning the nation with a growing number of countries pushing for a
two-state resolution to the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Following a Cabinet meeting on Monday, Albanese confirmed that the recognition would be
formalised during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session in September.
“This decision is based on assurances Australia has received from the Palestinian Authority,” said the
Prime Minister. He made it clear that among those assurances are firm commitments to exclude
Hamas from any future Palestinian governance, implement demilitarisation in Gaza, and hold
democratic elections.
“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 added.

Australia’s shift in policy comes amid rising international criticism of Israel’s recent military
operations in Gaza. In recent days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans for a
new and expansive military campaign in the region, a move that has drawn condemnation from
various global actors, including members of the Australian government.

The Albanese government has voiced serious concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, pointing
to widespread suffering and starvation as urgent issues demanding international attention.
This diplomatic pivot places Australia among several Western nations, including France, Britain, and
Canada, that have recently indicated support for recognising Palestinian statehood.
The announcement follows mounting internal pressure within Australia, both from members of the
Cabinet and from public advocates, urging a more proactive role in supporting peace in the Middle
East.