Australia to recognise Palestine, New Zealand to decide in September
Australia will formally recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, while New Zealand has announced it will decide on the same step within weeks.
The moves place both nations among a growing number of Western governments, including the United Kingdom, France, and Canada, considering recognition as the war in Gaza continues to exact a heavy humanitarian toll.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the decision followed commitments from the Palestinian Authority that Hamas would have no role in a future state. He described recognition as a 'practical contribution' toward building momentum for a two-state solution and ending the suffering in Gaza. Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed the plan had been discussed with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio before the announcement.
'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 in Canberra after a cabinet meeting. 'This is not Australia acting alone,' he added, stressing that peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians is essential.
The announcement comes amid mounting public pressure on the government to act over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Earlier this month, an estimated 90,000 people marched across Sydney Harbour Bridge, with parallel protests in other Australian cities, calling for sanctions on Israel.
In turn, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said his cabinet would weigh the issue carefully and take a formal decision in September. He noted that the country 'has long asked whether the pre-requisites for a viable and legitimate Palestinian state – in security, political, diplomatic and economic terms – exist,' adding that Arab states have insisted Hamas must disarm.
Peters will outline New Zealand's position during the UN Leaders' Week in New York next month.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking ahead of the Australian announcement, called such moves 'shameful,' warning they would not advance peace.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 61,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities. UN agencies warn that over two million residents face acute food insecurity.
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