Australia’s decision to recognise Palestine has been fuelled by Israel’s plans to take over Gaza City, but advocates say the government needs to go further to prevent civilian suffering.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday confirmed Australia would join the UK, France and Canada in recognising a Palestinian state at a United Nations General Assembly meeting in September.
While the federal government previously insisted that the recognition of Palestine was a matter of “when, not if”, the announcement was a shift from comments made just weeks prior.
Australia’s decision was partially fuelled by the Israeli government’s decision to approve a plan to seize control of Gaza City, Mr Albanese said.
“We make assessments based upon the totality of what is before us,” he told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday, highlighting a decision by the Israeli government to “double down on its military solution”.
“We have seen too many innocent lives being lost.
“The international community is saying that we need to stop the cycle of violence.”
In late July, Mr Albanese stressed he would not be “driven by a time frame” on the recognition issue.
But less than a week later, Foreign Minister Penny Wong revealed Australia was co-ordinating with other countries on the issue amid concerns “there will be no Palestine left to recognise”.
She added recognition could be used to “isolate Hamas”, the designated terror group that ruled Gaza.
Senator Wong has since said practical steps for recognition will be tied to commitments made by the Palestinian Authority, which exercises partial civil control in the West Bank.
The commitments include assurances Hamas will play no role in any future government.
More than 140 of the 193 United Nations member states already recognise Palestine.
Australia’s decision helped to put further pressure on Israel, the former head of Human Rights Watch said.
“Israel is creating conditions that are so unsuitable for life and killing enough Palestinians with the aim of driving two million people to flee Gaza,” Kenneth Roth told AAP.
He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of systematic war crimes.
“Not only crimes against humanity, but also genocide, and he’s doing this heading one of the world’s most powerful militaries against a people who at this stage have no real capacity to fight back,” Mr Roth said.
Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni warned recognition was “a veneer that allows Israel to continue brutalising Palestinians”.
More than two million Palestinians face severe food insecurity, based on UN projections.
Israel has denied the civilian population is suffering or dying from starvation, even though it has throttled the flow of aid to Gaza for months, according to international human rights groups.
It has also dismissed allegations of genocide as “false and outrageous”.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said recognition “does not deliver a two-state solution, it does not improve the flow of aid, it doesn’t support the release of the hostages and it certainly doesn’t put an end to the terrorist group Hamas”.
The crisis in Gaza began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 hostage.
Israel’s military response has since killed more than 61,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities.
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