CANBERRA, Australia — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that Australia will formally recognise Palestine as a state at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September, aligning the move with similar commitments from France, the United Kingdom and Canada.
Speaking on Monday, August 11, 2025, Albanese said the decision followed assurances from the Palestinian Authority to demilitarise, hold general elections, and maintain recognition of Israel’s right to exist.
“A two-state solution is humanity’s best hope to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to bring an end to the conflict, suffering and starvation in Gaza,” he said.
The prime minister’s remarks come a day after French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed his country’s intention to recognise Palestinian statehood in September, prompting parallel declarations from the UK and Canada.
Albanese said the Australian government’s decision was informed by discussions with leaders from the UK, France, New Zealand and Japan over the past two weeks.
New Zealand’s foreign minister, Winston Peters, said his country would also consider recognition, with a cabinet decision expected in September.
If approved, the United States would be the only member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance — comprising the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — not to take that step.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the move, calling it “shameful” during a press conference on Sunday, August 10, 2025.
His comments come as Israel signals its intention to take control of Gaza, a plan that has drawn increasing criticism from Western allies.
Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described such recognitions as “largely symbolic” and warned they “emboldened Hamas and made it harder to achieve peace.”
