Australia to recognize Palestinian statehood: ‘Humanity’s best hope’

Australia plans to recognize Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly next month Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ratified Monday Australia will recognize the right of the Palestinian people to a state of their own predicated on the commitments Australia has received from the Palestinian Authority Albanese disclosed referring to the governing entity of part of the West Bank Those commitments he disclosed included the demilitarization of Gaza and the holding of elections with no role for Hamas in a Palestinian establishment Australia has designated Hamas a terrorist entity and Albanese repeated Monday his government's calls for the group to return Israeli hostages held since the Oct massacre Albanese mentioned Australia will work with the international district to make the right of Palestinian statehood a reality RECOGNIZING A PALESTINIAN STATE NOW WILL COMPLICATE FUTURE PEACE EFFORTS EXPERTS WARN A two-state remedy is humanity s best hope to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to bring an end to the conflict suffering and starvation in Gaza Albanese revealed CANADA PLANS TO RECOGNIZE PALESTINIAN STATE IN SEPTEMBER PM CARNEY SAYSThe prime minister announced the situation there has gone beyond the world s worst fears He accused the Israeli establishment of continuing to defy international law and deny sufficient aid food and water to desperate people including children Albanese s announcement followed similar declarations from the leaders of France Britain and Canada Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Australia and other European countries for the move accusing them of marching into a rabbit hole HOSTAGE FAMILIES BLAST UK AND FRANCE FOR MOVES TO RECOGNIZE PALESTINIAN STATE T his canard is disappointing and I think it's definitely shameful the Israeli leader disclosed Sunday Australia s governing body in turn has criticized Netanyahu s plans reported in modern days for a sweeping new military offensive in Gaza The Australian leader last week spoke to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas who agreed to conditions with Western leaders as they prepared to recognize a Palestinian state This is an opportunity to deliver self-determination for the people of Palestine in a way isolates Hamas disarms it and drives it out of the region once and for all Albanese commented To date nearly of the United Nations members have recognized the State of Palestine numerous of whom did so decades ago The U S and numerous of its Western allies have held off arguing that Palestinian statehood should be the final stage of ending the conflict that has been ongoing since Israeli leaders meanwhile have pushed back on recognizing a Palestinian state arguing that it would reward terrorism and do little to strengthen the position of the Palestinian Authority which lost control of the Gaza Strip after a violent conflict with Hamas in The terrorist group has ruled Gaza ever since The sessions of the UN General Assembly will begin on September and last until September The Associated Press contributed to this statement