TRANSCRIPT
"The Commonwealth of Australia recognises the state of Palestine. We have had, in Australia, a long- term position on a bipartisan basis of two states. One of those states is, of course, Israel. The other, of course, is Palestine, and this recognition being announced today in sync with our international partners, the United Kingdom and Canada, means that three of the Five Eyes nations are all making this decision today."
A moment for history, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces Australia's recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
This means Australia has now joined over 150 countries in recognising a sovereign Palestinian state, with their move announced alongside Canada, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
It comes as Israel continues to bombard famine-hit Gaza City, with the Gaza health ministry reporting the death toll from Israel's war with Hamas has now surpassed 65,000.
Mr Albanese says the move follows a series of assurances from the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the occupied West Bank and is viewed as the likely leadership of a future state.
"Our act of recognition is based on the commitments received from the Palestinian Authority, including that the terrorists of Hamas cannot govern Gaza again; Palestine recognises Israel's right to exist in peace and security; and the Palestinian Authority will demilitarise and hold democratic elections, driving broader reform to governance, finance, and education."
France and Belgium are also set to recognise a Palestinian state this week.
The United Kingdom's recognition carries particular symbolic power, as it comes 108 years after the government's Balfour Declaration backed the creation of a Jewish state in the region, and 77 years after the creation of Israel in what was known as the British Mandate of Palestine at the time.
British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, says the recognition is the only way to push toward a two-state solution to the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"Today, to revive the hope of peace and a two-state solution, I state clearly, as Prime Minister of this great country, that the United Kingdom formally recognises the state of Palestine. We recognised the State of Israel more than 75 years ago as a homeland for the Jewish people. Today we join over 150 countries who recognise a Palestinian state also."
Husam Zomlot, head of the Palestinian Mission to the U-K, watched the move on his phone.
He's celebrating what he considers to be a course correction by Britain.
"This is a historic day. Simply because it begins to correct the historic injustices that Britain has played a direct role in the agony of the Palestinian people. The recognition is not about the existence of the Palestinian people. We have existed long ago, long before the Balfour Declaration. Recognition is about ending the denial."
However the Israeli government is outraged by the move.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delivered stern words to Australia and other countries, saying he will continue to do everything in his power to ensure there is no Palestinian state.
(Hebrew) TRANSLATED: "You are giving a huge reward to terrorism. And I have another message for you: It will not happen. A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River. For years, I have prevented the establishment of this terrorist state despite tremendous pressure both domestically and internationally. Moreover, we doubled Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria — and we will continue on this path."
Mr Albanese's declaration has set the agenda for a four-day trip to the U-S where he will deliver his first address to U-N General Assembly as part of the high-level Leaders Week summit.
But, back in Australia, the federal Opposition has backed Mr Netanyahu's position, with leader Sussan Ley [[lee]] and spokesperson for foreign affairs Michaelia Cash issuing a joint statement, warning the government has given in to extortion by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
They also say it's a hollow gesture, which gives Palestinians false hope.
Several Jewish community groups have also taken this view, with the Executive Council of Australian Jewry decrying Australia's recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Co-Chief Executive Officer Alex Ryvchin says it won't end the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza nor the remaining Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity.
"We're bitterly disappointed by this announcement. We're not shocked by it, this was obviously on the cards, but it doesn't lessen the blow. Fundamentally this is bad policy. It doesn't change anything on the ground. It doesn't resolve the issues that have been between the Palestinians and Israelis for decades now. It doesn't bring anyone closer to peace or ending the war in Gaza or releasing the hostages. All this does is embolden the most extreme actors, particularly Hamas. It shows them that their strategy of terrorism to achieve political transformation is a winner."
Others in the Jewish community have welcomed Australia's recognition of a Palestinian state, while maintaining more needs to be done to end the devastation in Gaza.
Dr Max Kaiser is an Executive Director of the Jewish Council of Australia.
"It certainly puts Australia at odds with Israel and the United States, but I think that's to be welcomed. The real problem with this move is that it sort of tries to do a 'both sides' sort of issue and then treat them going forward as equal states. It just has no bearing on the actual power situation on the ground, because Israel controls the whole territory from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. It's system that has been legally found to be an apartheid system, and nothing that Israel has said (or) done over the past few decades indicates that they have any interest in a two state solution."
He says he'd like to see Australia move beyond what he calls a largely symbolic action by sanctioning Israel and ending all two-way trade.
In the meantime, it remains to be seen whether the decision to put Australia at odds with its closest security ally of the United States will have diplomatic consequences.
Mr Netanyahu is warning there will be a price to pay for those who have acted against Israel's wishes.
(Hebrew) TRANSLATED: "The response to the latest attempt to impose a terrorist state in the heart of our land will be given after my return from the United States. Wait for it."
