Australia Admits Palestinian Country Next Month, PM Albanese: The Best Solution

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. (Twitter/@AlboMP)

JAKARTA - The recognition of the Palestinian State is the best solution, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Speaking on Monday, PM Albanese said Australia would recognize the Palestinian State in September at the United Nations General Assembly Session to increase momentum for a two-state solution.

In an announcement after PM Albanese's cabinet meeting said recognition would be based on the commitments Australia received from the Palestinian Authority, including Hamas would not be involved in any country in the future.

"The two-state solution is the best hope for humanity to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and end the conflict, suffering, and hunger in Gaza," PM Albanese told a news conference.

PM Albanese has called for a two-state solution, with his centre-left government supporting Israel's right to life within a safe border, as well as the Palestinian right to own their own country.

"I've said it's a matter of time, not whether (will admit)," PM Albanese told reporters on Saturday in New Zealand about his government's attitude towards the Palestinian State.

"For a long time, Australia has had a bipartisan position that supports two countries," he said.

Australia is among the 15 countries that signed a joint French-led declaration, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages held by Hamas and a new international push for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, following the United Nations summit on implementing a two-state solution at the New York United Nations Headquarters last month.

France and Canada last month said they planned to recognize the Palestinian State, while Britain said it would follow suit unless Israel tackled the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories and reached a ceasefire.

Israel denounced the decisions of countries to support the Palestinian state, saying it would benefit Hamas.

PM Netanyahu told reporters on Sunday most Israelis opposed the creation of a Palestinian state because they thought it would bring war and not peace.

Meanwhile, thousands of protesters flooded Tel Aviv's streets, opposing its plans to escalate the war that has lasted nearly two years and capture Gaza.

"Seeing European and Australian countries go into the rabbits' holes just like that, falling into it is disappointing and I think it's actually embarrassing but it won't change our position," Netanyahu said.