Australia to recognise Palestinian state at UN in September

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Anthony Albanese has stared down criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and broken with the Trump administration to confirm Australia will recognise Palestinian statehood at the United Nations next month. The Coalition is against the move, arguing it's a decision that rewards the terrorist group Hamas.

Transcript

00:00Well, Anthony Albanese has revealed that frustration with Israel's actions in Gaza, and namely the

00:09blocking of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, as well as the killing of civilians

00:14queuing up for food and water, has contributed to Australia's decision to recognise Palestinian

00:20statehood.

00:21We learned yesterday that the Prime Minister had a phone conversation with Benjamin Netanyahu,

00:27his Israeli counterpart, last Thursday, in which he informed him of Australia's decision

00:32to recognise Palestinian statehood at a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New

00:38York next month.

00:40And this is after the PM had essentially extracted commitments from the Palestinian Authority

00:46on two issues.

00:47One, that it would shake up its governance and change the way that things are done there,

00:52that Hamas has no involvement in any future Palestinian state, but two, he sought assurances

00:59regarding Israel's future security.

01:03We'll remember, though, that the Prime Minister just two weeks ago was adamant that, I guess,

01:08this question of Palestinian statehood and recognition wasn't an imminent one, at least

01:14on Australia's side.

01:16However, we did see that change yesterday, and he indicated that that's down to a couple

01:21of things.

01:22One, growing international momentum and support for Palestinian statehood, but as well, Benjamin

01:30Netanyahu's decision last week, an announcement that he had plans to reoccupy Gaza.

01:37Ultimately, the Prime Minister this morning accused Mr Netanyahu of being in denial when it comes

01:44to the consequences on the ground in Gaza.

01:47The decisions of the Netanyahu government, firstly, the stopping of aid that we've seen,

01:57and then the loss of life that we're seeing around those aid distribution points, where people

02:06queuing for food and water, losing their lives, is just completely unacceptable.

02:16And we have said that.

02:18I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

02:20He, again, reiterated to me what he has said publicly as well, which is to be in denial

02:29about the consequences that are occurring for innocent people.

02:36Liv, the coalition isn't happy.

02:38They've essentially decried this decision, saying that it puts Australia at odds with its

02:42most important ally, the United States.

02:45And they've also accused the government of essentially rewarding the terrorist group Hamas,

02:50which, as we know, perpetrated the October 7 terrorist attacks.

02:55That is a position shared by Israel's ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, and this is his

03:01response on ABC 7.30 last night.

03:04It will not change anything on the ground.

03:07It will not bring a ceasefire.

03:10It will not bring about a release of the hostages.

03:14And it will not bring the two parties closer.

03:17On the contrary, it would take them apart.

03:19So, while both the major parties do support a two-state solution on the ground in Israel

03:27and Gaza, ultimately, though, they do differ when it comes to when that recognition should

03:33occur.

03:33So, ultimately, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, about a year ago, said that the government

03:39was changing its position, saying that it was open to recognition as part of the peace

03:44process.

03:45The coalition, on the other hand, think that recognition should only come at the end of

03:50the peace process.

03:51And that's why we're hearing these suggestions from them, that this is a reward to Hamas.

03:57Australia, though, by taking this move yesterday, ultimately puts it in a broad consensus when

04:03it comes to the United Nations.

04:05The vast majority of member states do support a Palestinian statehood.

04:10The notable exception, though, of course, is the United States.

04:14We did hear from the Shadow Home Affairs Minister, Andrew Hastie, on ABC Breakfast this morning,

04:21and he says that the government has done the wrong thing and acted prematurely.

04:25The coalition thinks this is a bad decision, and it's historic for all the wrong reasons,

04:29because it rewards and it empowers Hamas, and it diminishes a close democratic ally in

04:36Israel.

04:36Hamas, in the space of two years, using extreme violence, has been able to achieve what Yasser

04:43Arafat could not achieve in a lifetime.

04:45And I think it sends the wrong message to terrorist groups around the world, but particularly Hamas,

04:50which still enjoys widespread support in both the West Bank and Gaza.

04:55We have seen US President Donald Trump certainly being more critical of his ally in Benjamin

05:03Netanyahu in recent months, specifically calling out Mr Netanyahu's claims that there's no starvation

05:09on the ground in Gaza.

05:11However, Washington, judging by its voting record in the past at the United Nations General Assembly,

05:17they could use its veto powers on the Security Council to essentially block a Palestine's

05:24bid to become the 194th member of the United Nations General Assembly.

05:29That vote is going to happen next month.

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