PM weighs up Palestinian statehood call
The Prime Minister is yet to confirm the move, despite the UK, France, and Canada all indicating they will make such a call.
Mr Albanese has sought a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – something praised by Senior Coalition frontbencher Dan Tehan, who says current Australian-Israel relations have 'clearly been lacking' since the October 7 attacks in relation to communications at a 'prime ministerial level and a senior ministerial level'.
'Any dialogue which will enable both governments to put their case, and my hope is that the Prime Minister will be open to listening to Benjamin Netanyahu, so that he can get an Israeli view of what is happening on the ground and what they're trying to do to bring peace to Gaza,' he told Sky. Anthony Albanese has requested a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. X Credit: Supplied
Earlier, Sussan Ley told the ABC that the Coalition would only support the formal recognition of Palestinian statehood once 'peace' had been achieved, meaning Hamas would need to surrender and release the hostages.
'Everyone wants to see this war end … Everyone wants to say the bloodshed stop. Everyone wants to see critical food aid get to Gazans who desperately need it, and I'm pleased to see that that's happening,' she said.
'But this is critical – the war could end tomorrow if Hamas surrenders and releases the hostages.'
The Prime Minister's potential call with Mr Netanyahu comes as Mr Albanese faces growing international pressure to recognising Palestinian statehood, with the UK and Canada joining France this week.
This follows global condemnation of Israel for the starvation and the withholding of aid from Gazan civilians, something Mr Netanyahu has rejected and labelled a 'bold-faced lie'.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who Mr Albanese has been in contact with since the announcement, said the UK would support the motion unless Israel 'takes substantive steps to ed the appalling situation in Gaza and agrees to a ceasefire'.
Canadian Prime Minister while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his position was incumbent on
While Australia supports a two-state solution, acknowledging Palestine's statehood could not be 'just a gesture,' but done to forward the peaceful existence of Israel and Palestine. Mr Albanese has said the formal recognition of statehood cannot be 'just a gesture'. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia
Speaking to the ABC on Thursday, he said Australia would only be able to make that statement 'once,' adding that 'once you make that declaration, you lose your capacity to negotiate and to influence outcomes to some extent'.
'We won't be driven by a time frame. What we'll be driven by is when the recognition of Palestine can make a contribution to the creation of two states,' he said.
'We think that arising out of what is a crisis, the world needs to look at the opportunity that there is not just to solve the current crisis, but how do we create security for both the state of Israel and the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians for their own state to be realised.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
9 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Pro-Gaza protest blocks city
About 300 student protesters have blocked one of Melbourne CBD's main intersections as they rallied against the Gaza conflict. The group marched from the State Library to Flinders St they sat in the middle of the intersection for about 60 minutes on Thursday. Police moved on one man who breached the peace and five other protesters were arrested for obstructing the roadway. They are expected to be charged on summons. About 300 students marched through the streets of Melbourne's CBD rallying against the Gaza conflict. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia The protest was part of nationwide action organised by the National Union of Students and Students for Palestine. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia The students marched from the State Library to Flinders St station were they blocked traffic for about 60 minutes. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia The protest was part of nationwide action organised by the National Union of Students and Students for Palestine, which called for a student referendum on Gaza. The students want to vote no confidence in the Australian government alleging it has been complicit in the genocide in Gaza and to end weapons trade with Israel. One man was moved on for breaching the peace. Credit: Supplied Five people were arrested during the protest for obstructing the roadway. Credit: Supplied The protest ended at Federation Square. NewsWire / Valeriu Campan Credit: News Corp Australia National Union of Students education officer James McVicar said in a video posted to social media they would continue to stand against war and any politician or political party that endorsed war or unprovoked acts of aggression. Flinders Street has since reopened.
SBS Australia
9 minutes ago
- SBS Australia
No new taxes before the next election, declares PM
No new taxes before the next election, declares PM Published 7 August 2025, 9:03 am The Prime Minister has all but ruled out any tax changes before the next election. There have been competing pitches for reforms ahead of the government's upcoming economic roundtable. One proposal is increase to the GST, but with every Australian to receive a cashback compensation.
The Age
39 minutes ago
- The Age
Allan's WFH plan respects flexibility, not dogma
To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@ Please include your home address and telephone number below your letter. No attachments. See here for our rules and tips on getting your letter published. WORK FROM HOME The revelation that Labor considered a federal work-from-home policy before the 2025 election, only to shelve it to highlight Peter Dutton's ill-fated office mandate, underscores a stark contrast in political acumen (″ Labor's work-from-home strategy outshines Coalition's misstep″ , 6/7). Labor's strategic pivot capitalised on Dutton's misjudgment, which ignored the realities of modern work-life balance, particularly for women and carers. His backflip, prompted by voter backlash, exposed a policy rooted in control rather than progress, echoing Tim Wilson's recent Australian Financial Review critique of flexible work as 'professional apartheid' despite his own party's retreat. Labor's 2023 Fair Work Act amendments already strengthened remote work rights, fostering inclusivity and productivity, as evidenced by a 4.4 per cent rise in workforce participation. Premier Jacinta Allan's bold plan to legislate two days of remote work further cements Labor's forward-thinking approach, while the Coalition's flip-flops erode trust. Australians deserve leadership that respects flexibility, not dogma. Sue Barrett, Caulfield South Proposal discriminates essential workers Working from home should be left as an agreement between the employer and the employee based on the needs and capability of both parties. It appears to be already working quite well without government intervention or interference. It does not need to be, and should not be, a 'right' cemented in law. In doing so, it risks introducing an adversarial atmosphere into what should be a matter of negotiation between adults. Instead, it creates a two-tier level of employment that discriminates between those who can work from home (primarily white-collar workers) and those whose jobs require physical engagement (primarily essential workers such as nurses, teachers, police etc). The only real beneficiaries of this will be the legal fraternity who are already preparing for some lovely taxpayer money as one arm of the public service takes on the other (' High Court battle looms for state Labor's work-from-home push ', 6/8). The law will no doubt also be tested in terms of what 'compensation' will be provided to blue collar workers who believe themselves to be discriminated against. I would rather see laws enacted that protect workers from corrupt unions and predatory work practices, than ones that provide meaningless 'human rights'. But it's such a lovely distraction from the real woes of the state isn't it, premier? Stephen Farrelly, Donvale Employers' bait and switch I disagree with your characterisation that Premier Jacinta Allan's working-from-home push is a 'furphy' (Editorial, 6/8). I work in the private sector and there have been numerous cases where my manager unilaterally changed my WFH days when it suited him. A two-day WFH would already rubber-stamp what is already considered 'hybrid' in the workplace and prevent a bait-and-switch by overzealous employers who promise 'hybrid', but is in fact a full return to the office. People would be outraged if employers just felt like changing people's yearly salaries, so why do it to their working conditions? Christopher Lam, Saint Kilda East Debate irrelevant to teachers A letters correspondent to these pages (6/8) wonders if the new working from home proposals will apply to teachers. While long past the joys of going to that workplace every day, and having 'missed' the experience of working from home during COVID, I doubt that there are many teachers who would voluntarily choose to 'work from home'. The policy is pretty irrelevant to the teaching profession and I'm sure that most teachers have no desire to work from home again. Let those who enjoy the benefits of such work practices continue to do so, without introducing irrelevant furphies. Graeme Gardner, Reservoir THE FORUM Election on horizon Chip Le Grand's incisive article ″ Dear Leader Jacinta Allan will fight for your right to do what you're already doing ″, 7/8), hits the spot about the state of politics in Victoria and the focus of the Victorian Labor conference. As one of your letter correspondents recently remarked, we only seem to see our Premier in a hard hat (and high-vis jacket) along with several other ministers similarly attired, seemingly projecting their strong support of so-called 'working people'. But, I seem to recall that our leaders have committed to govern for all. And of course, bashing the opposition (notwithstanding they have been severely depleted) is a worthy parliamentary sport. Forget the ongoing youth crime, tobacco wars, childcare problems, health waiting lists, alleged CFMEU corruption, the dire straits of our finances etc., many of which have plagued us for years now. Warning us about what the opposition did decades ago seems to be more productive in the eyes of our leaders than addressing some of these issues constructively and urgently. Must be an election coming. Charles Griss, Balwyn Putting people first I was at the Labor State conference and found it interesting that Chip Le Grand's article focused on just one speech of about 20 across one-and-a-half days. I witnessed passionate individuals, (politicians, union members and delegates like myself), present on what the government is doing for, among others, First Nations people, the LGBTQI community, the disabled, women, renters, retirement home residents, regional Victorians, front-line workers, office workers, the elderly, the young, those with and those without. So, yes the premier highlighted what the Liberals did, close schools, cut services and more, as a reminder to those of us who put people first, what we are fighting for. Samantha Keir, East Brighton
