Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s cabinet considering Palestine statehood question

Anthony Albanese’s Cabinet is considering a plan for Australia to recognise a Palestinian state.

The meeting in Canberra comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described moves by France, Canada and the UK along with Australia to move towards recognising Palestine as “disappointing” and “shameful”.

The Government could make an announcement about its timeline for recognition as early as Monday, depending on Cabinet’s decision, Nine newspapers reported.

The West has confirmed Cabinet ministers are considering the move at their meeting in Parliament House.

Over the past fortnight, Mr Albanese has spoken with French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canada’s Mark Carney about their countries’ positions, as well as with the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas, and has been seeking a phone call with Mr Netanyahu.

He and New Zealand leader Christopher Luxon also canvassed the issue during talks in Queenstown over the weekend.

The international move is likely to come to a head at the United Nations General Assembly at the end of September.

Mr Albanese said on Saturday that “it’s a matter of when, not if” Australia recognises Palestine.

He said Australians wanted to see a ceasefire, the return of the hostages taken by Hamas, and peace in the region, and they didn’t want the conflict brought to Australia.

Senior ministers Richard Marles and Tony Burke on Sunday said Hamas must end hostilities and have no role in a future Palestinian state.

Overnight, Mr Netanyahu told foreign reporters that “most of the Jewish public” is against a Palestinian state because it wouldn’t bring peace.

“To have European countries and Australia march into that rabbit hole, just like that, fall right into it and buy this canard is disappointing, and I think it’s actually shameful,” he said.

“It’s not going change our position.”

Coalition frontbencher Dave Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel, said the questions of easing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and recognising Palestinian statehood had unfortunately become conflated.

“I do think that Israel needs to do a better job in ensuring that humanitarian food and medical assistance reaches the civilian population of Gaza… but the question of recognition of a Palestinian state is quite separate,” he told Radio National.

“And I think what has happened as a result of many nations making these moves towards recognition is it’s strengthened Hamas’s international position, it’s made Hamas less likely to reach a ceasefire.”