PM Albanese prepares for Australia's recognition of Palestinian state, 'timing still unclear'

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is laying the groundwork for a historic shift in Australia’s foreign policy, signalling that formal recognition of a Palestinian state is inevitable but will be carefully timed to best support long-term peace efforts. Sources within Labor as cited by ABC , confirm Mr Albanese has been privately telling colleagues that the recognition of Palestine can only happen once and must occur at a moment when it will meaningfully contribute to a two-state solution. “What we’re looking at is the circumstances where recognition will advance the objective of the creation of

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is laying the groundwork for a historic shift in Australia’s foreign policy, signalling that formal recognition of a Palestinian state is inevitable but will be carefully timed to best support long-term peace efforts.

Sources within Labor as cited by

ABC

, confirm Mr Albanese has been privately telling colleagues that the recognition of Palestine can only happen once and must occur at a moment when it will meaningfully contribute to a two-state solution. “What we’re looking at is the circumstances where recognition will advance the objective of the creation of two states,” Mr Albanese said on Wednesday. “My entire political life, I’ve said I support two states, the right of Israel to exist within secure borders and the right of Palestinians to have their legitimate aspirations for their own state realised. That’s my objective.” The momentum for recognising Palestinian statehood is gaining traction among developed nations. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced this week that Britain would formally recognise Palestine by September unless Israel takes “substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term sustainable peace reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.” That declaration followed a similar pledge by French President Emmanuel Macron, who last week committed France to recognising Palestine in September. “This decision by France and the UK is significant,” wrote Malak Benslama-Dabdoub, a law lecturer at Royal Holloway University of London, in The Conversation.

“It signals a departure from the western consensus, long shaped by the US and the EU, that any recognition of Palestinian statehood must be deferred until after final-status negotiations.”

“The move also highlights growing frustration in parts of Europe with the ongoing violence in Gaza and the failure of peace talks over the past two decades,” she added. As part of ongoing diplomatic efforts, Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Wednesday signed a joint declaration with 14 other nations including France, Canada, and New Zealand, expressing a shared commitment to building a post-war framework for Gaza’s reconstruction and governance. The plan includes excluding Hamas from any future role and supports a demilitarised Palestinian state, in line with recent statements by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Mr Albanese also spoke with Mr Starmer on Tuesday night and said further discussions are expected “in the coming couple of days.” He welcomed Abbas’s pledge, saying it implies that a future Palestinian state would be without both a conventional military and any “paramilitary” force. “That’s a very significant step forward,” he said. The Prime Minister reaffirmed Australia’s consistent position: “We will continue to put forward a principled position consistent with our unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution.” “In an immediate sense, we continue to call for a ceasefire. We continue to call for hostages to be released. We continue to say that Hamas can have no role in a future Palestinian state, and we continue to call for aid to be allowed to the people of Gaza,” he added. Mr Albanese emphasised the importance of Israel’s security in any future arrangement. “Israel needs to be able to be confident … that they’re able to exist without a threat to their security,” he said. Amid growing public concern over the war’s impact at home, Mr Albanese urged Australians to reject imported division and maintain social cohesion.

“The young Jewish boy or girl going to the local school should not be harassed because of who they are. They are not responsible for what is going on in Gaza. And Arab Australians or Muslims are not responsible for what Hamas did," he said.