Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his government’s decision to support a United Nations motion recognising a Palestinian state, rejecting accusations that he made a “deal” with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
The foreign policy shift has faced a strong backlash from the federal opposition and Jewish community leaders, who have questioned the value of assurances from a leader Mr. Albanese himself acknowledged has not faced an election in two decades.
Speaking on Sky News, the Prime Minister stated his government had not “done any deals” but was acting in line with the international community’s push for “a path to peace and security in the Middle East.”
When questioned about Mr. Abbas’s leadership, Mr. Albanese acknowledged he “has not been elected for some time,” but pointed to the historic Oslo Accords, in which former leader Yasser Arafat recognised Israel, as a basis for engaging with the Palestinian Authority.
Opposition Questions Value of Assurances
The federal opposition has strongly criticised the move. The Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Michaelia Cash, accused the government of granting “recognition with no guarantees,” arguing the Palestinian Authority has previously broken promises made under the Oslo Accords by making payments to convicted terrorists and pursuing unity deals with Hamas.
Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, echoed these concerns, questioning the value of assurances from Mr. Abbas.
“What is the value of assurances made by a leader that our Prime Minister clearly sees as illegitimate and on borrowed time?” Mr. Ryvchin asked, arguing such questions should have been addressed before the policy was announced.
The diplomatic debate in Australia is set against a volatile backdrop in the Middle East.
The UN General Assembly is expected to vote on the motion for Palestinian statehood next month.
The government’s decision has been publicly welcomed by Hamas, the militant group that initiated the current conflict with its October 7 attack.
Meanwhile, a large-scale protest of more than 500,000 people took place in Tel Aviv recently, with demonstrators calling for an end to the war and the immediate release of Israeli hostages.
The protest comes as Israeli military forces are reportedly preparing for a major ground offensive into Gaza City.