Australia’s position on recognizing Palestine has been all over the place. For its part, Tunisia has praised recent declarations by the Palestinian Authority (PA). Such commitments would set the country on this path towards formal recognition, putting Australia on track with the fast-growing cohort of other nations. Standing with 14 other countries, Australia then signed a joint statement underlining the significance of these developments.
The PA is eager to be seen as disarming Hamas. They call for the release of all hostages and promise to call new elections within a year. These steps are widely regarded as essential precursor steps for Australia and other countries that are contemplating formal recognition of Palestine. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong have outlined specific conditions that must be met before Australia commits to recognizing Palestine.
Australia’s hesitance is notable, especially in light of France’s recent declaration at the United Nations to recognize Palestine, making it the first G7 country to do so. The United Kingdom has announced plans to recognize Palestine. That will only be possible if Israel stops its offensive operations in Gaza.
Commitments from the Palestinian Authority
As for the Palestinian Authority, its recent efforts represent a departure from its long-held stance. The PA demands the disarmament of Hamas while committing to new elections. These moves are intended to raise its profile within the global community. Such a change would help open up space for acknowledgment and reconciliation and move us closer toward peace.
As Labor MP Ed Husic put it, these commitments are good, but we need “a serious rethink and reimagining of our approach.” He urged Australia to harness the “moral momentum” behind recognition. This declaration would put the nation in line with other countries that have already declared a climate emergency.
“We can still maintain that we have conditions that we believe need to be satisfied … But we can flag our preparedness to join with both France and the UK to signal our commitment to recognise Palestine.” – Ed Husic
This rising sentiment speaks to a growing urgency among Australian lawmakers to reexamine the country’s long-standing position on Palestine. Although Australia has always insisted that recognition should follow completion of a peace process, recent developments could change this perspective.
Global Context for Recognition
Australia’s reluctance is at odds with an increasing number of countries that have already extended recognition to Palestine, such as Spain, Norway and Ireland. The recent joint statement from Australia and its allies underscores a collective call for recognition as an essential step toward achieving a two-state solution.
The humanitarian crisis is compounded by Israel’s relentless military campaign in Gaza. Australia’s Prime Minister Albanese expressed his grave concern at Israel stating there is “no hunger in Gaza.” He referred to this statement as “beyond comprehension.” His statements show that he is attuned to the massive humanitarian crisis that’s developing in the area.
“Clearly there is very serious suffering happening in Gaza. I think it’s also clear that Hamas is weaponising that for their own aims.” – James Paterson
Australia has entered a period of careful lines in its foreign policy. It needs to balance international demands for recognition with the reality of long-standing hostilities.
The Path Ahead for Australia
Now, as Australia looks ahead towards the next stage of this ambitious agenda, the government needs to consider the interplay of domestic pressures and international developments. While PA’s commitments would be a revolutionary step, officials are still playing it safe.
Australia has long maintained that any recognition of a Palestinian state would come at the conclusion of a negotiated peace process. Premature recognition without addressing critical issues such as Hamas’s disarmament and acknowledgment of Israel’s right to exist could be seen as counterproductive.
“Premature recognition of a Palestinian state before Hamas has been dismantled, before the Palestinian Authority recognises Israel’s right to exist, before they give up their aims of using terrorism to abolish the Israeli state, I think would be extremely counterproductive.” – Source not specified
So the next few months will be very important for Australia. As global conversation around Palestine grows, our country will be forced to take stock of where we stand. These changing political dynamics may soon force big changes in policy and decide Australia’s position on this age-old debate.
