The Coalition has pledged to revoke the Albanese government’s recognition of a Palestinian state if it returns to power, condemning the move as premature and outside the bounds of an agreed peace process.
“The Coalition would have never made this call and we do not agree with it. A Coalition government would only recognise a Palestinian State at the conclusion of a proper peace process,” Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said in a statement on Aug. 12.
She added that the Coalition wants to see Israeli hostages released, aid flowing freely to Gazans, and an end to the war, arguing the government’s decision will not achieve those goals.
Ley accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of ignoring his own stated requirements for recognition, which include no role for Hamas in a Palestinian government, the demilitarisation of Palestine, recognition of Israel’s right to exist, and free and fair elections.
“Unfortunately, the Albanese government has made it clear that they will still recognise a Palestinian state, regardless of whether or not their own conditions are met,” she said.
“The reality is the conditions the prime minister himself claims to be necessary for recognition are not being met and are pushed further away by recognising a Palestinian state outside of a proper peace and two-state process.”
The Opposition argued the decision undermines prospects for peace and breaks with decades of bipartisan foreign policy.
Ley also warned it could damage relations with Australia’s most important security ally, the United States, which opposes such recognition at this stage.
PM Defends Decision Amid Global Momentum
Albanese has stood by the move, insisting recognition is contingent on strict conditions and designed to help create the momentum for a two-state solution.
“President Trump will, of course, make decisions based upon the interests of the United States. My job as the Australian prime minister is to advocate,” he told Sunrise.
He said Australia was “not a big player” in the Middle East but had a role to play in building international consensus.
“This is a part of building that momentum of the world to say let’s stop this and create a system where we won’t keep going back to this over and over again,” he said.
Albanese pointed to growing support among allies for the recognition of a Palestinian state and the condemnation of Israel’s plans to take over Gaza.
