Wellington, Aug 11 (AP) Australia is set to officially recognise a Palestinian state, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Monday. This aligns Australia with countries like France, Britain, and Canada, who have also signaled similar intentions.
The announcement follows mounting pressure both within Albanese's Cabinet and from various sectors within Australia for the recognition of a Palestinian state. This call for recognition comes amidst increasing criticism from Australian officials regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which Albanese described as a “humanitarian catastrophe” on Monday. Additionally, the Australian government has condemned recent plans by Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu for a new extensive military offensive in Gaza.
Albanese stated after a Cabinet meeting that the decision by Australia to recognise a Palestinian state will be formalised during the United Nations General Assembly in September. This step is said to be based on commitments secured from the Palestinian Authority, Albanese mentioned.
These commitments include excluding Hamas from the Palestinian government, demilitarising Gaza, and conducting elections.
“A two-state solution remains, in my opinion, humanity's most viable chance to halt the cycle of violence in the Middle East and end the enduring conflict, suffering, and starvation in Gaza,” Albanese declared.
He further criticised the ongoing situation in Gaza, saying it exceeds the world's worst fears. “The Israeli government continues to defy international law by denying the necessary aid, food, and water to desperate people, including children,” he said.
Prior to the announcement, Netanyahu criticised Australia and other European nations for moving towards recognising a Palestinian state, calling it “disappointing” and “shameful.”
Australia has officially designated Hamas as a terrorist organisation, and Albanese reiterated calls for the group to release Israeli hostages held since October 7, 2023.
The Australian leader recently spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who oversees parts of the occupied West Bank and supports a two-state solution in cooperation with Israel on security matters. Abbas, alongside Western leaders, including Albanese, has agreed to certain conditions in preparation for recognising a Palestinian state.
“This is a chance to provide self-determination for the Palestinian people, thereby isolating Hamas, disarming the group, and ultimately removing it from the region,” Albanese stated, noting that Hamas does not support a two-state solution.
To date, nearly 150 of the 193 United Nations member states have already recognised Palestinian statehood, many having done so decades ago. However, the United States and other Western powers have delayed recognition, arguing that Palestinian statehood should emerge from a final resolution to the longstanding Middle East conflict.
While largely symbolic, recognition announcements are typically rejected by Israel.
A two-state solution involves establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel, encompassing most or all of the occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip, and eastern parts of Jerusalem—areas seized by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war but desired by Palestinians for their state.
Albanese dismissed the notion that Australia's move is merely symbolic. “This is a practical contribution towards generating momentum,” he explained. “Australia is not acting alone.”
Albanese consulted with the leaders of Britain, France, New Zealand, and Japan about Australia's decision. He mentioned having a “long discussion” with Netanyahu earlier in the month.
In New Zealand, Foreign Minister Winston Peters indicated that his government is considering its stance on recognising a Palestinian state before making a formal decision 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 said in a statement. (AP) GRS GRS
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