Australia will recognize the Palestinian state in September
Australia will recognize the Palestinian State next September, within the framework of the UN General Assembly, as announced on Monday its prime minister, Anthony Albanese, hoping to boost the solution of two states for the end of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
After a meeting of his cabinet, Albanese has said that recognition will occur after receiving a series of commitments from the Palestinian authority, including that the Hamas movement will not have any role in the future Palestinian state. “The solution of two states is the best hope of humanity to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to bring the end of the conflict, suffering and hunger in Gaza,” he said.
Australia thus joins countries that in recent weeks have announced that they will recognize the Palestinian State, among other France, Canada or the United Kingdom, a way of pressing Israel to put an end to its offensive.
“The situation in Gaza has gone beyond the worst fears of the world. Too many innocent lives have been lost. The Israeli government continues to challenge international law and denies sufficient help, food and water to desperate people (…). It is much more than drawing a line on a map, it is about delivering a lifeguard to the legality of Gaza,” Albanese said.
The Australian prime minister said that in recent weeks he has talked about this matter with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, among other leaders who have also announced that they will recognize Palestine. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamín Netanyahu, criticized on Sunday the steps of several nations towards the recognition of Palestine and described them as “shameful.”
“We make it clear that we would recognize Palestine when it contributed better to the impulse towards peace. September is the time. When the world says that this has lasted too long. When the world says that suffering, death and destruction must end,” said Australian Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, accompanying Albanese. (Agencies)
