Australian PM Anthony Albanese confirms his government will formally recognize a Palestinian state at the UN, setting conditions to bar Hamas and pledging to “make this right a reality.”
Canberra, Monday — In a historic policy shift, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that his government will recognize a state of Palestine when the United Nations General Assembly convenes in September — a move set to align Canberra with other Western powers adopting the stance.
“Australia will recognise the right of the Palestinian people to a state of their own, predicated on the commitments Australia has received from the Palestinian Authority,” Albanese declared. “We will work with the international community to make this right a reality.”
The prime minister made clear that Hamas will have no role in a future Palestinian state, accusing Israel of continuing to “defy international law” and describing the situation in Gaza as “beyond the world’s worst dreams.”
Cabinet Sign-Off and Security Conditions
The decision was signed off by the Australian Cabinet in Canberra earlier on Monday, according to SBS News. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has already briefed Israeli officials on the forthcoming change, signaling conditions aimed at ensuring Hamas’s exclusion and protecting Israel’s security.
Historically, recognition of a Palestinian state has been viewed as the final step in a peace process — but Australia’s stance has shifted. Wong previously suggested early recognition could promote leadership reform in Gaza and push Israel back toward serious peace negotiations.
This pivot comes just weeks after Albanese had publicly stated that his government had “no immediate plans” for recognition, saying:
“Is the time right now? Are we about to imminently do that? No, we are not.”
Global Trend Toward Recognition
Australia’s move follows similar announcements by the UK, Canada, and France, joining a growing bloc of nations endorsing Palestinian statehood. The Palestinian Authority (PA) has long sought such recognition as a way to bypass direct negotiations with Israel.
While over 130 countries worldwide have recognized “Palestine” in recent decades, most of those recognitions have been symbolic, with little tangible impact on the peace process or the realities on the ground.
Implications for Israel and the Region
Critics warn the recognition could embolden the PA while sidelining security concerns, particularly if Hamas maintains influence in Gaza. Proponents argue it will pressure both sides toward renewed diplomacy.
With the UN session only weeks away, Australia is now poised to take a significant diplomatic step that could reverberate far beyond the Middle East — and reignite debate over the timing, conditions, and consequences of Palestinian statehood.
