Australia says it will recognise Palestinian state, joining France, UK and Canada

Australia will recognise a Palestinian state in September, joining France, Britain and Canada, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced. 

Albanese told reporters on Monday that Australia’s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood would be formalised at the United Nations General Assembly in September. 

He said that it was “predicated on commitments” that Australia had received from the Palestinian Authority. 

Those include demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip, no role for Hamas in a future Palestinian government, and the holding of elections in the state of Palestine. 

“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.

Read more: Australia says it will recognise Palestinian state, joining France, UK and Canada