Australia will recognize the state of Palestine, said the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday via an official announcement.
The announcement came after a cabinet meeting, with Albanese stating that over the past fortnight, he discussed the proposal with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
In his announcement, he said, “Australia will recognize the rights of the Palestinian people to state of their own… We will work with the international community to make this right a reality. The decision is a part of global coordinated effort for building momentum fortwo states solutions.
He said a two-state solution remains humanity’s best chance to end the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to resolve the conflict, suffering, and starvation in Gaza.
France has announced its intention to formally recognize the State of Palestine. President Emmanuel Macron has stated that France will make the recognition public during the UN General Assembly in September 2025.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in July 2025 that that Britain would formally recognize a Palestinian state in September—coinciding with the United Nations General Assembly—unless Israel met a set of conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza, allowing increased humanitarian aid, committing to no annexation of the West Bank, and pursuing a long-term peace process leading to a two-state solution.
Netanyahu’s plan to completely takeover Gaza
On Thursday, after Israel’s Cabinet approved Prime Minister Netanyahu’s plan of complete takeover of Gaza, Germany—a key European ally—announced it would halt exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza. Meanwhile, the UK and other European nations urged Israel to reconsider escalating its military operations in the region.
Following the decision, Netanyahu’s office announced that the Cabinet had agreed on “five principles” to guide the campaign. These include the demilitarization of Gaza and the establishment of a new civil administration, excluding both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
The approved strategy, aimed at dismantling Hamas, involves the Israeli military preparing to take over Gaza City while ensuring humanitarian aid reaches civilians in areas away from active fighting, the Prime Minister’s office said in a statement on Friday.