Australian news and politics live: Albanese, Wong announce Australia now recognises Palestinian state

The leader of the Executive Council of the Australian Jewry has said the Jewish community feels a “sense of betrayal” following the decision to recognise Palestinian statehood.

Alex Ryvchin, the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said Australia has committed to recognising a state with “no agreed borders, no single government in effective control of its territory, and no capacity to live in peace with its neighbours”.

“This will be viewed in our community as a punitive measure against Israel, a reward for Palestinian violence and intransigence, and a gesture that shows the failure to understand why this conflict has endured for so long and what is needed to end it,” he said.

“We’re not surprised. But as I said, it doesn’t lessen our disappointment. It doesn’t lessen the sense of betrayal or the feeling that the country is on the wrong path.”

A statement from Israel’s ambassador to Australia has condemned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s annoucement on the recognition of Palestinian statehood.

In a post to X, ambassador Amir Maimon said “peace is built by ending terror, not rewarding it”.

“By recognising a Palestinian state while Hamas continues to kill, kidnap, and reject peace, Australia undermines Israel’s security, derails hostage negotiations, and hands a victory to those who oppose coexistence.”

New Zealand will weigh up its position on the recognition of Palestine within the next month, Foreign Minister Winston Peter has said.

“Ultimately, New Zealand has an independent foreign policy, and on this issue, we intend to weigh up the issue carefully and then act according to New Zealand’s principles, values and national interest,” Mr Peter said.

He said New Zealand’s Cabinet will make a formal decision on the matter in September.

“New Zealand has been clear for some time that our recognition of a Palestinian state is a matter of when, not if.”

Opposition leader Sussan Ley and her shadow foreign affairs minister Michaelia Cash have raised “serious concerns” about the Australian decision to recognise Palestine statehood.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, they said the decision to recognise it in September at the UN General Assembly without several preconditions met went against the previous bipartisan position.

“Until today it has been a bipartisan position that the question of recognising Palestinian statehood should come at the end of the peace negotiation process, not at the start or during it,” they stated.

They also flagged concerns over what the recognition would mean for Australia’s relationship with the US.

“This decision, at this time, puts Australia at odds with the United States of America, our most important ally, and the most consequential player in the conflict in Gaza,” they stated.

“The United States will have an essential role to play in brokering a viable peace process and establishing a sustainable Palestinian state.

“It is critical to note that the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that decisions to recognise a Palestinian state ahead of a proper peace process scuttled ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the current humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as a turning point Australia will recognise Palestinian statehood.

Mr Albanese warned that the situation has surpassed the world’s worst fears, with too many innocent lives lost and said the international community was seizing this “moment of opportunity” to force Israel’s hand on a ceasefire.

“The Israeli Government continues to defy international law and deny sufficient aid, food and water to desperate people, including children,” the PM said.

“This vital aid must be allowed to get to the people who need it most.

“This is about much more than drawing a line on a map.

“This is about delivering a lifeline to the people of Gaza.

“On this issue, history casts a long shadow. Every generation has known failures and false starts.

“Yet, the story of this struggle is also one of opportunities not taken.

“That is where the risk of trying is nothing compared to the danger of letting this moment pass us by.

“The toll of the status quo is growing by the day, and it can be measured in innocent lives.

“The world cannot wait for success to be guaranteed.

“That only means waiting for a day that will never come.

“There is a moment of opportunity here and Australia will work with the international community to seize it.”

The president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry says Monday’s announcement by Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong gives the Israeli hostages no hope.

“In announcing Australia’s intention to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly next month, the government has departed from decades of bipartisan consensus which has envisaged Palestinian statehood and recognition as part of a comprehensive peace agreement between Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab States. President of the ECAJ Daniel Aghion said.

“Today’s announcement acknowledges the need for all the hostages to be released and for Hamas to be disarmed and removed from power. It accepts that the Palestinians and the Arab States have to recognise and make peace with Israel as the State of the Jewish people, and normalise relations with it.

“The major flaw in the announcement is that it relegates all of these conditions to the status of a mere promise to be fulfilled at some future time, and says nothing about what will happen if those conditions are not met.

“For this reason, we feel that the course of action announced by the government is a betrayal and abandonment of the Israeli hostages who continue to languish in appalling conditions in Gaza without even access to the Red Cross.

“This announcement gives them no hope for release. It leaves Hamas armed and in control of territory, and in a position to regroup and rearm, thereby creating the conditions for the next war rather than a comprehensive peace,” Mr Aghion added.

Angus Taylor says Hamas will see this as a victory and there is a risk the Australian government’s announcement will empower the terrorist group.

“The risk here is that this is rewarding terrorists and this is a reward to Hamas,” Mr Taylor to SKY.

“There’s no satisfacation that hostages will be released and we’ve got no clarity that Hamas will be demiliatrised.

“It’s completely unconvincing from the government.”

Shadow Minister for Defence, Angus Taylor, is skeptical about the impact Anthony Albanese and the Labor government’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state will have.

“We all want to see this chapter of tragedy come to an end, but the pre-conditions for that have not been met,” Mr Taylor told SKY News in response to the government’s announcement.

“There is no assurance of demilitaristion of Hamas and of Hamas not having role in a future government.

“These are pre-conditions that we know are absolutely necessary if we are going to have a lasting and sustained peace in the middle east.

“I just listened to that press conference from the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister and I came away no clearer that those pre-conditions have been met.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has revealed she recently spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to give him the heads up of Australia’s intention to recognise Palestinian statehood.

Mr Rubio has been critical of Western allies’ moves, including France, UK, Canada, to recognise Palestinian statehood.

“I spoke to Secretary Rubio ahead of the announcement, and as a matter of diplomatic courtesy, advised him of our intention to announce,” Ms Wong confirmed on Monday at a joint-press conference with the PM.

“We speak for Australia and we make our sovereign decisions.

“We spoke about a range of matters, including the Indo-Pacific and security in the Indo-Pacific.”

Anthony Albanese says Australia has received assurances from the Palestinian Authority that it will recognise Israel’s right to exist in peace and security, commit to demilitarisation and hold general elections as part of plans for a future Palestinian state.

He said President Mahmoud Abbas also pledged to end payments to families of prisoners and militants, reform governance, boost financial transparency, and allow international oversight of education to curb incitement.

“The Palestinian Authority has reaffirmed it recognises Israel’s right to exist in peace and security,” the Prime Minister said, confirming they spoke last Tuesday.

“It has committed to demilitarise and to hold General Elections.

“It has pledged to abolish the system of payments to the families of prisoners and martyrs and promised broader reform of governance, financial transparency in the education system, including international oversight to guard against the incitement of violence and hate led.

“These detailed and significant commit amendments have been given even greater weight by the Arab League’s unprecedented demand for Hamas to end its rule in Gaza, and surrender its weapons to the Palestinian Authority.”