Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that Australia will officially recognise the State of Palestine in September, a move he says is aimed at advancing peace in the Middle East. The announcement, made on Monday in Canberra, comes ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where the formal recognition will be declared.
“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 told reporters.
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The decision aligns Australia with a growing group of Western nations — including Canada, France, and the United Kingdom — that are preparing to extend formal recognition to Palestine at next month’s UN meeting. More than two-thirds of UN member states have already recognised Palestinian statehood.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from Israel. Israeli Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that his government “rejects the recognition” and argued that unilateral action would not end the ongoing war in Gaza.
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Australia’s announcement follows a week of nationwide demonstrations, including a massive march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge where hundreds of thousands protested Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
The formal recognition is expected to further intensify diplomatic debate ahead of the UNGA, as nations grapple with the prospects — and challenges — of achieving lasting peace in the region.
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