Australia officially recognises statehood of Palestine as ‘punitive measures’ threat looms large from US

Anthony Albanese has run the risk of inflaming relations with the Trump administration after Australia joined Canada and the United Kingdom in formally recognising the statehood of Palestine, effective on Sunday.

Ahead of the Prime Minister’s debut at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Prime Minister also dangled the prospect of opening an embassy and establishing formal diplomatic relations pending what he said was the Palestinian Authority making reforms.

Palestinian recognition will dominate the opening days of the high-level week of the UNGA, which is marking its 80th anniversary. While 147 member states recognise Palestine, placing Australia, the UK, Canada and France well within the majority, it has already raised the ire of Israel and the US.

Key figures in the Trump administration have hit out at the decision to recognise Palestine, saying it only rewards Hamas.

In an open letter to the four Western countries — with President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio cc’d in — 25 Republicans warned that recognising Palestine was “reckless policy.”

“Proceeding with recognition will put your country at odds with longstanding US policy and interests and may invite punitive measures in response,” they said.

On Monday, France and Saudi Arabia are co-chairing a conference on the two-state solution, with French President Emmanuel Macron set to formalise French recognition.

But the Federal Opposition strongly condemned recognising Palestine and called for Labor to reverse its decision, marking a significant division in what has been Australia’s decades-long bipartisan foreign policy on the two-state solution.

Arriving late on Saturday local time with his fiancee Jodie Haydon, Mr Albanese said he was “proud” to be in New York for his first appearance at the UN since becoming prime minister four years ago.

“Proud to be representing Australia at the United Nations this week,” Mr Albanese told reporters on the tarmac at JFK Airport after disembarking his prime ministerial plane.

“This is the first time I’ve been here as Prime Minister.

“It’s an opportunity to advance Australia’s economic, national security, and, of course, our related environmental interests as well — given that climate change will be front and centre of the United Nations General Assembly this week.

“What we want to see is increased peace and security and stability around the world.”

In a statement, the Government said that effective Sunday, the Commonwealth of Australia formally recognised the independence and sovereign state of Palestine.

“In doing so, Australia recognises the legitimate and long-held aspirations of the people of Palestine to a state of their own,” he said.

“Australia’s recognition of Palestine today, alongside Canada and the United Kingdom, is part of a co-ordinated international effort to build new momentum for a two-state solution, starting with a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages taken in the atrocities of October 7, 2023.”

The Government said that the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, had promised Australia to hold elections.

“The President of the Palestinian Authority has restated its recognition of Israel’s right to exist, and given direct undertakings to Australia, including commitments to hold democratic elections and enact significant reform to finance, governance and education,” the statement said.

“Further steps, including the establishment of diplomatic relations and opening of embassies, will be considered as the Palestinian Authority makes progress on its commitments to reform.”

It is not clear where an embassy would be situated and in an exclusive interview with The Nightly, before the Government’s official recognition, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke could not state what borders were being recognised as Palestinian.

Asked what Australia was recognising exactly, Mr Burke said: “Well, we’re certainly not recognising Hamas.”

Asked if Australia had an obligation to remove Hamas from the formally recognised Palestinian territory as part of its new policy, Mr Burke said he would not provide further comments as he was speaking in London at the time.

“I’m not going to go much further because of where I am and the protocols of this being somebody else’s portfolio.

“But I say very clearly that we are working with other nations on the basis that we do believe that we were facing a situation where if the world doesn’t act and act together, there may beJU no Palestine to recognise.”

The Government said that “crucial work” was under way to develop a credible peace plan that would enable the reconstruction of Gaza, which Israel now partially occupies, having pummelled the strip since the October 7 attacks in 2023.

The Australian Government said that the leadership of the US and Arab League was vital.

The US took the unusual step of blocking the visas of key Palestinian Authority figures, including President Abbas, ahead of the UN General Assembly meeting.

But on Friday, 145 member states voted to allow President Abbas to address the annual meeting by video link.

Just five member states opposed the motion, and six abstained.

Ahead of the recognition announcement by the trio of centre-left governments, Hamas released what it called a “parting image” that collated the faces of the remaining 48 hostages its terrorists captured and continues to hold as prisoners for almost two years.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and shadow foreign affairs minister Michaelia Cash said the Government’s recognition was a “hollow gesture” and wrong.

“Palestine has no established borders and no effective government,” they said in a statement.

“The inconvenient truth for the Albanese Government is this recognition comes while hostages remain in tunnels under Gaza and while the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian people remain under the control of the listed terrorist organisation Hamas.

“Recognition must come at the end of a peace process, not during the conflict.

“The Coalition opposes this decision and calls for it to be reversed.

“A responsible Australian government must deal with the world as it is, not as it would wish it to be and it should stand with our most important ally, the United States of America.”

On Sunday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong will officially launch a Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel in honour of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.

The Declaration seeks stronger accountability, safer access, and better protection for aid workers working in conflict and contested areas around the world.