The Australian Government has recognised the State of Palestine.
Australia, Canada, and the UK all released statements overnight, ahead of the UN General Assembly.
But what does statehood mean, and what changes now that Australia has recognised Palestine?
Here’s what you need to know.
Recognition
When a country formally recognises another state, it acknowledges that state’s independence and accepts it as a legitimate member of the international community.
This recognition typically leads to establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries.
147 of the United Nations’ 193 members recognise Palestine as a state. However, the U.S. and many of its allies support a “two-state solution,” meaning they will only recognise Palestine after it reaches a negotiated agreement with Israel.
Context
In 1922, Palestine was placed under British control following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
Under this mandate, the League of Nations (the precursor to the UN) agreed Britain would put into effect its previous commitment to establish “in Palestine... a national home for the Jewish people”.
It also required Britain to commit to avoiding anything “which might prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine”. Britain had already promised independence to Arab communities who fought with it during WWI.
After WWII and the Holocaust, Britain “relinquished” its control of Palestine in 1947, and brought the “Palestinian Question” to the UN.
Later that year, the UN voted to end British rule and split Palestine into one Jewish state and one Arab state. Israel declared its independence in 1948.
There has been ongoing violence and war in the decades since, causing the mass displacement of Palestinians. Attempts to negotiate a two-state solution have failed.
Israel has since taken control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which is known under international law as the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
2025
Today, the Palestinian Authority (PA) governs some of the West Bank, while Hamas runs Gaza. Israeli forces have killed many Hamas leaders during the ongoing war.
Earlier this year, France, the UK, Canada, and Australia announced they would recognise the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly.
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Netanyahu said the possibility of Australia recognising Palestine was “disappointing” and “shameful”.
Australia
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in New York to meet with world leaders at the UN General Assembly on Monday (local time).
Ahead of this, he announced Australia’s formal recognition of the State of Palestine.
In a statement on Sunday, Albanese said the recognition (which took immediate effect) came with “clear requirements” for the PA.
For example, he said, “the terrorist organisation Hamas must have no role” in the state.
Albanese said he had received assurances from the PA that it would hold democratic elections and enact reforms.
Australia will begin diplomatic discussions and consider opening an embassy “as the Palestinian Authority makes progress on its commitments to reform.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has previously had an office in Ramallah in the West Bank.
Albanese‘s statement was accompanied by similar releases from Canada, the UK, and Portugal. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it “categorically rejects” the countries’ announcements.
Response
The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network said the decision “remains well short of [Australia’s] international moral and legal obligations to stop Israel’s genocide”.
A UN commission of inquiry found last week that Israel has carried out a genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry criticised the announcement as “vague” and said it failed to make clear what would happen if the PA doesn’t make the required changes, “or if Hamas continues to control Palestinian territory.”
Assembly
Several world leaders are in New York for the UN General Assembly (GA) — a gathering where countries discuss global issues.
Israel has been a voting UN member since 1949. Palestine is an ‘observer state’, meaning its representatives can attend and speak at meetings, but not vote.
A GA summit on the two-state solution is scheduled for Monday afternoon (local time). This is when France will announce its recognition of the State of Palestine. Australia and several other countries are then expected to follow suit.
