Australia to Recognise Palestinian State, Says PM

Australia will recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday. "Until Israeli and Palestinian statehood is permanent, peace can only be temporary," he told reporters. "Australia will recognise the right of the Palestinian people to a state of their own." Several countries, including France, Britian and Canada, have announced plans to recognise statehood for Palestinians since Israel launched a bombardment of Gaza nearly two years ago in response to the Hamas attacks.

Albanese added that he had received assurances from the Palestinian Authority that there would be "no role for the terrorists of Hamas in any future Palestinian state". "There is a moment of opportunity here, and Australia will work with the international community to seize it," he said.