Australia has formally recognised Palestine as a sovereign state, drawing sharp condemnation from Israel and warnings of retaliation while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pressed for renewed momentum toward a two-state solution.
Australia has officially recognised Palestine as a sovereign and independent state, marking a historic foreign policy shift amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the decision at the United Nations in New York on Sunday, aligning Canberra with the UK and Canada, whose leaders also declared recognition. “Enough is enough. We must end the cycle of violence,” Albanese said, insisting Hamas must have no role in any future Palestinian government.
The recognition, effective immediately, provoked a furious response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who vowed there would be “no Palestinian state” and warned western leaders: “Stand by.”
Albanese argued recognition was essential to revive negotiations toward a two-state solution, stressing that Palestinians, like Israelis, had a “legitimate aspiration for their own homeland.” Foreign Minister Penny Wong reinforced Australia’s stance, saying the country was “part of the global momentum for peace.”
The move comes as Israel faces mounting international isolation over its military offensive in Gaza and continued settlement expansion in the West Bank.
A recent UN inquiry accused Israel of genocide, a charge rejected by Netanyahu’s government.
Albanese will attend a conference on the two-state solution this week, despite threats of U.S. reprisals.