God bless Albanese & Wong – Peter
• A plan to progress Palestinian statehood agreed by major European and Arab states provided a key moment of confidence for Australia to do the same.
• Alluding to the agreement, the foreign minister warned last week there would be “no Palestine left” to recognise if the world did not act with urgency.
• A “time-bound” framework to settle the question of Palestinian statehood will be developed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly next month.
The Albanese government gained confidence it could recognise a Palestinian state before a two-state solution was negotiated following a declaration last month that set out a new path to solve the decades-long Middle Eastern conflict.
The New York Declaration at the end of July was one moment in a steady stream of momentum building towards recognition of a Palestinian state.
But it was a significant moment.
At a high-level international conference led by France and Saudi Arabia, Middle Eastern and European powers committed to taking “time-bound” and “irreversible” steps for the settlement of the question of Palestine, and the implementation of a two-state solution.
On the same day the New York Declaration was settled, the United Kingdom announced its intention to recognise a Palestinian state, following France’s move a few days earlier.
Canada signalled its intentions to recognise the next day, and now Australia has also followed.
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