Australia will recognize a Palestinian state, PM Albanese says
The big picture: The announcement that follows pledges from the leaders of countries including Canada and France to also recognize Palestinian statehood at September's UN General Assembly came soon after it emerged that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who stood alongside Albanese when he revealed the plan.
Driving the news: "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 said at a Monday briefing in Canberra, Australia.
The intrigue Rubio and Wong spoke on Sunday about matters including the Middle East and global efforts to combat antisemitism, per a State Department statement.
Representatives for the State Department and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment on whether Wong alerted Rubio to Australia's plans.
State of play: Several countries have in recent months either recognized Palestinian statehood or announced plans to do so.
Among them is the U.K., whose Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would recognize the State of Palestine in September unless Israel takes steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza and commits to a renewed peace process with the Palestinians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who adamantly rejects the idea of a Palestinian state, said in response to Starmer's announcement that recognizing a Palestinian state "rewards Hamas' monstrous terrorism."
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