Australia will formally recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations summit in September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Monday, marking a break with close ally the United States as tensions escalate over Israel’s renewed military campaign in Gaza.
“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,” Albanese said at Parliament House in Canberra after a Cabinet meeting.
The move aligns Australia with countries such as France, the UK, and Canada, which plan to extend recognition in September, but contrasts sharply with Washington’s stance. The US has maintained that Palestinian statehood should only be recognized through a negotiated peace deal with Israel.
Israel’s government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, authorized a new advance on Gaza City last week after ceasefire talks with Hamas collapsed in July. Around 20 hostages are still believed to be alive in the area. Netanyahu criticized Canberra’s planned recognition as “shameful,” while Albanese — joined by New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon — warned Israel against potential violations of international law and urged restraint in Gaza.
Albanese stressed that Australia’s recognition comes with clear conditions. “There can be no role for the terrorists of Hamas in any future Palestinian state,” he said, noting that this assurance had been secured from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
New Zealand is also weighing recognition, with Foreign Minister Winston Peters stating the decision is “a matter of when, not if.” Peters said Wellington would decide in September and present its position at the UN. “Some of New Zealand’s close partners have opted to recognize a Palestinian state, and some have not,” Peters said. “Ultimately, New Zealand has an independent foreign policy… and will act according to our principles, values, and national interest.”
