On Sunday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that Israel is “clearly” violating international law in Gaza, but Canberra does not plan to recognize Palestine as a state “anytime soon.”
Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC): “The loss of civilian lives in Gaza is absolutely unacceptable and can never be justified.”
He added, “It is evident that halting the entry of food constitutes a violation of international law, a decision made by Israel last March,” while noting that official assessments of these violations “are on the way to being released.”
He clarified that “international law stipulates that innocents cannot be held responsible for what is deemed a conflict.”
When asked whether Australia plans to follow France’s lead and recognize Palestine as a state in the near future, Albanese said his government would not take such a step “in the near future.”
The Australian Prime Minister remarked: “Recognition of Palestine should be part of a forward-looking process… How can we ensure that a Palestinian state operates in a manner that does not threaten Israel’s existence?”
Albanese further stated, “Thus, we will not make any decision as a goodwill gesture, but rather as a step forward when the conditions allow… Hamas cannot have a role in a future state.”
It is noteworthy that last Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country would recognize Palestine as a state in September.
Approximately 150 member countries of the United Nations already recognize the Palestinian state. However, significant Western nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom, which hold veto power at the UN, are not among them.