Labor builds momentum on Palestine recognition

Anthony Albanese faces mounting pressure to follow Britain’s lead on Palestinian statehood, as he reassures Jewish leaders that Hamas can have no role running Gaza.

Anthony Albanese says achieving a two-state solution is one of his lifelong goals. Picture: NewsWire

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Anthony Albanese has declared he sees a “moment of opportunity” to bring peace to the Middle East as his government lays the groundwork to formally recognise a Palestinian state, framing the move as an “essential step” towards a two-state solution.

The Prime Minister stopped short on Wednesday of replicating British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pledge to recognise Palestine by September if hostilities continued in Gaza, but said he had spoken to his friend and left-wing counterpart about the move and would do so again in coming days.

Senior government figures say the Prime Minister wants to recognise Palestine during this term of government, and potentially as early as September when he is due to address the UN General Assembly in New York.

Proclaiming the recognition of Palestine as a lifelong goal, Mr Albanese said: “Sometimes out of a crisis comes a moment of opportunity to actually advance forward in a real way … for Israelis and Palestinians.”

But he is keeping his options open, reassuring Jewish leaders in a private meeting the shift is not imminent, while reiterating key red lines, including that Hamas can have no future role in a Palestinian state.

The move came as Arab and Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and Turkey, signed a declaration at the UN condemning for the first time Hamas’s October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel and calling on the Palestinian terror group to disarm and release all its hostages.

The “New York Declaration” set out a phased plan to end the war in Gaza and eight-decades of hostilities between Israelis and Palestinians, proposing an independent, demilitarised Palestinian state that would exist peacefully alongside Israel.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Penny Wong signed a joint statement with 14 other countries reiterating the nation’s “unwavering” commitment to a two-state solution, and the recognition of a Palestinian state “as an essential step” towards achieving that goal.

The statement called for the Gaza Strip to be unified with the West Bank under the control of the Palestinian Authority, and backed commitments by the group last month including its support for the liberation of hostages, the disarmament of Hamas, an end to “pay-to-slay” rewards for terrorists, and the creation of a demilitarised Palestinian state.

“That is a significant step forward,” Mr Albanese said, signalling that the principles offered a roadmap for recognition of a Palestinian state by Australia.

Behind the scenes, he met members of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry in his Parliament House office, leaving an impression he would not rush towards recognition.

ECAJ president Daniel Aghion said: “The Prime Minister reiterated what he has said publicly about the recognition of a Palestinian state. It is on the government’s agenda, but it is not imminent.

“We also think that the government has a realistic understanding that Palestinian statehood requires a recognition of Israel’s permanence as a Jewish state, a commitment to peaceful coexistence, demilitarisation and democratic reform, not to mention the complete disarming of Hamas and the immediate release of all remaining hostages, living and dead.”

Labor has steadily built its case to recognise Palestine since Senator Wong declared in a speech last year that the government no longer saw the move as a final-status issue in a two-state solution, but as a vital step to break the “cycle of violence” between Israelis and Palestinians.

Internal pressure for the change hit fever pitch in recent days amid reports of starving children in Gaza.

Former Labor cabinet minister Ed Husic said on Wednesday the government needed to swing behind Britain, declaring there was “a tide of events that we cannot ignore”.

“It’s understandable that we have sought to see the satisfaction of key conditions prior to (recognition) occurring,” the Muslim MP said.

“But moral momentum cannot be ignored, and that momentum is significant at the moment, and it requires of us a reconsideration of our approach.”

Labor’s industrial wing also piled in, with ACTU president Michele O’Neil declaring recognition of a Palestinian state was now “urgent”.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces his government will recognise a Palestinian state in September if Israel fails to call a ceasefire Picture: AFP

Mr Albanese – a co-founder of the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine group – said he had long been a personal supporter of a Palestinian state, but would not be tied to a timetable.

“I’ve said for a long time, my entire political life, I support two states; the right of Israel to exist within secure borders and the right of Palestinians to have their legitimate aspirations for their own state realised,” he said. “That is my objective. Not making a statement, not winning a political point, but achieving that.“

He warned anti-Israel protesters their actions were counter-productive, lashing those who threw balloons full of fish oil at his office last Friday. Later, five pro-Palestine activists were ejected from question time, shouting “sanction Israel now”.

The Coalition said it had “serious concerns” over the growing momentum towards recognition of Palestine, saying the government “should not reward Hamas” while it remained in control of Gaza.

“The question of recognising Palestinian statehood should come at the end of the peace negotiation process not at the start or during it,” opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said.

“We want a peaceful solution between Israel and the Palestinians, and a viable, peaceful Palestinian state. This can only come through negotiations.

“The Albanese government should explain to Australians why it is canvassing recognition of a Palestinian state while there are still hostages in tunnels under Gaza.”

Palestinians crowd a coastal path west of Beit Lahia after collecting aid parcels on Tuesday, following the entry of aid trucks to the besieged Gaza Strip Picture: AFP

Sir Keir declared on Tuesday that the UK would officially recognise Palestine at the UN “unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, reaches a ceasefire, makes clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a two state solution”.

Declaring it was the “moment to act”, he said: “I have always said that we will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a proper peace process at the moment of maximum impact for the two-state solution.”

The move followed French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement last week that he would recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September.

Labor’s cautious approach to the recognition issue is in part due to concerns over how Donald Trump would react if Australia broke with the US on the issue.

But the US President’s reaction to Britain’s recognition pledge was under-stated.

“It doesn’t mean I have to agree,” Mr Trump said of the move. “You could make a case that you’re rewarding Hamas if you do that. I don’t think they should be rewarded. I’m not in that camp”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the British decision, saying Sir Keir was rewarding “Hamas’ monstrous terrorism” and punishing its victims.

“A jihadist state on Israel’s border today will threaten Britain tomorrow,” Mr Netanyahu said. “Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails. It will fail you too. It will not happen.”