Australia will recognize the state of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly session in September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Monday. The move follows similar initiatives by France, Britain and Canada and is aimed at increasing international pressure on Israel, reports "Reuters", quoted by News.bg.
"Australia will recognize the State of Palestine to contribute to the international momentum towards a two-state solution, a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages," Albanese said. He specified that the recognition would be tied to commitments from the Palestinian Authority, including the complete exclusion of "Hamas" from participating in the future state.
The Prime Minister stressed that "a two-state solution is humanity's best hope for breaking the cycle of violence in the Middle East" and ending the conflict and suffering in Gaza. Last week, Australia strongly criticized Israel's plan for military control of Gaza, with Albanese indicating that the decision to recognize was also motivated by "Netanyahu's disregard for international calls" and failure to comply with legal and ethical norms.
In a joint statement with Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Albanese accused the Israeli government of undermining the prospects for peace through the expansion of illegal settlements, threats of annexation and opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state. According to him, the reforms and commitments of the Palestinian Authority, as well as the insistence of the Arab League "Hamas" to give up power in Gaza, open up an opportunity to isolate the Islamist group.
Wong has informed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the decision. At the same time, former President Donald Trump criticized Canada for its support for Palestinian statehood, and Rubio called France's move "reckless." Israeli Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon condemned the decision, saying it undermined Israel's security and made hostage negotiations more difficult.
The news comes amid mass demonstrations in Australia, including tens of thousands of people crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge to call for increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Meanwhile, New Zealand said it would consider its position on recognizing Palestine this month, without making a final decision.
Israel launched its offensive in Gaza after an attack on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. According to health authorities in Gaza, Israeli forces have killed at least 60,000 people and destroyed most of the territory. International humanitarian organizations accuse Israel of deliberately restricting aid, leading to mass malnutrition, which Tel Aviv denies, blaming "Hamas" for the crisis.