Australia expresses intent to acknowledge the State of Palestine as a sovereign state
Australia to Officially Recognize Palestine at UN General Assembly
Australia has announced that it will officially recognize the State of Palestine at the 80th United Nations General Assembly session in September 2025. This recognition is intended to support international momentum towards a two-state solution, a ceasefire in Gaza, and the release of hostages.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's statement reaffirms Australia's longstanding support for Israel's existence since 1947, aligning with the original UN Resolution 181 that proposed the establishment of two states side by side, Israel and Palestine. The announcement highlights concern over actions by the Israeli government, such as settlement expansion and opposition to Palestinian statehood, which threaten the two-state solution.
The recognition will be made in the context of a coordinated global effort to advance a two-state solution, a peaceful coexistence between Israel and an independent Palestinian state. This decision follows the actions of France and Canada, who made similar announcements earlier.
However, as of August 2025, no recent announcements or changes have been found in the search results regarding the stances of France, Canada, and New Zealand on recognizing Palestine.
Israeli President Izchak Herzog has condemned the announcements by Australia and other countries, stating they reward terrorism and support the enemies of freedom, liberalism, and democracy. New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced that the Pacific state is considering recognizing Palestine and that the decision will be made public in September.
Australia's move marks a significant development within the international community's approach to Palestinian state recognition. As of now, almost 150 of the 193 UN member states have already recognized Palestine as a state.
| Country | Current Stance on Recognizing Palestine (2025) | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Australia | Will officially recognize the State of Palestine at the UN in Sept 2025; supports two-state solution[1] | | France | No recent announcement or change found in 2025 data | | Canada | No recent announcement or change found in 2025 data | | New Zealand| Considering recognizing Palestine; decision to be made public in Sept 2025[2] |
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has discussed the issue with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, as well as with other world leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Britain has recently openly threatened Israel with recognizing Palestine if Netanyahu's government does not end the Gaza war and the suffering of the Palestinians. The cabinet had previously discussed the decision to recognize Palestine before Prime Minister Albanese's announcement. Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that they will recognize Palestine when it is most conducive to peace.
[1] Source [2] Source (if available)
- The recognition of Palestine by Australia at the United Nations General Assembly marks a shift in global policy-and-legislation that could potentially influence other countries, such as New Zealand, to follow suit, given their current consideration of the matter.
- The escalation of war-and-conflicts in Gaza and Israel, coupled with ongoing settlement expansion, has sparked general-news discussions on the expanse of war-affected territories and highlighted the urgency of finding a two-state solution.
- The standing recognition of Palestine by almost 150 UN member states, including recent declarations from France and Canada, demonstrates international pressure for the Israeli government to adopt a more progressive stance in regards to policy-and-legislation related to the Palestinian state.
