Australia Is Next US Ally Pledging To Recognize Palestinian Statehood At UN

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Monday that Australia will officially recognize a Palestinian state in September at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), which has drawn the predicable sharp rebuke from Israel.

„A two-state solution remains the best hope for ending the violence in the Middle East and alleviating the suffering in Gaza,” he said at a press conference in Canberra.

Australia is a significant addition to a growing list of leading Western countries who have pledged the same, including France, Canada, and the UK. New Zealand is also said to be strongly mulling joining the list.

Associated Press/Reuters

Already a vast majority of UN member countries have given formal recognition to a state of Palestine, headquartered in the West Bank via the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Albanese in fresh remarks said he wants the „killing to stop” and „peace and security in the Middle East”. He described, „This conflict, which has gone on for such a long period of time, I think Australians want to see an end to it. And an end to it can only be secured when both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security.”

He also called it a „practical contribution to build momentum” – despite admitting that the United States will veto any statehood effort put before the UN Security Council. Australia is still committed to the defeat of Hamas:

Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong told reporters the Palestinian Authority has committed to disarmament, recognizing Israel, and excluding Hamas from any future government, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Israeli Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon quickly responded by saying, „We reject this recognition.” Israel’s government is calling this a reward for Hamas’ terrorism.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has shot back, warning that „there is a risk there will be no Palestine left to recognize.” She defended the planned action by saying that recognition had always been a matter of „when, not if.”

There have recently been large anti-Israel protests in various cities of Australia related to the soaring civilian death toll in Gaza. Some 300,000 protesters descended on Sydney just in recent days.

Protests in Sydney:

مسيرات ضخمة وحشود بشرية هائلة في مدينة سيدني الأسترالية، دعمًا لغزة وتنديدًا بسياسة التجويع والعدوان الإسرائيلي pic.twitter.com/fGVDJXq1mG

— أنس الشريف Anas Al-Sharif (@AnasAlSharif0) August 3, 2025

Australia’s opposition Liberal Party agrees with Israeli criticisms, and is warning that it puts the close Australia-US relationship at risk.

„Despite the Prime Minister’s remarks, the reality is that this recognition comes while hostages are still held in Gaza and Hamas remains in power,” opposition leader Sussan Ley said. „This move risks handing Hamas one of its intended outcomes from the October 7 attacks.”