Anthony Albanese won't join France in recognising state of Palestine
Albanese condemns Israel's denial of aid in Gaza as indefensible
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia will not join France's move to recognise the state of Palestine as he condemned Israel's blockade on aid into Gaza.
France will become the first G7 nation to recognise Palestine as an independent state when the UN General Assembly meets in September.
It's a move by President Emmanuel Macron set to place added diplomatic pressure on Israel as the humanitarian crisis intensifies in Gaza.
Appearing on ABC's Insiders today the Prime Minister said Australia had no "imminent" plans to join Macron.
He said a decision could be made when Hamas is demilitarised and a two-state solution could be considered viable.
"We support two states so some would argue, 'Well, why don't you just recognise the state?'" he asked.
Palestinians carry sacks and boxes of food and humanitarian aid, unloaded from a World Food Program convoy that was heading to Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi, file)
"You need to recognise a Palestinian state as part of moving forward. How do you exclude Hamas from any involvement there? How do you ensure that a Palestinian state operates in an appropriate way that does not threaten the existence of Israel?"
"We won't do any decision as a gesture. We will do it as a way forward if the circumstances are met."
It comes amid rising tensions over Israel's restrictions on aid shipments into Gaza and the killings of hundreds of Palestinians trying to reach food.
An Israeli soldier stands beside humanitarian aid packages awaiting pickup on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing in the Gaza Strip, Thursday, July 24, 2025, during a media tour organized by the Israeli army. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, file)
Albanese said while he is "not a lawyer" Israel is "quite clearly" breaching international law by withholding aid from civilians.
"The fact that people have lost their lives queuing to get food and water distributed not by the UN, but distributed by the joint Israeli-American operation is a tragedy," he said.
At least 115 Palestinians have starved to death since the outbreak of conflict following Hamas' attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
An estimated 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza but some figures suggest the death toll could be closer to 80,000.
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